Sky News: What Should M&S Customers Do After Criminals Stole Personal Data in Huge Attack?

Sky News reported on the growing concerns from cybersecurity experts following Marks & Spencer’s confirmation that personal customer data was stolen in a major cyber attack. Read the preview below or view it online.

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The risk isn’t over; it’s evolving.

Regarding “What should M&S customers do after criminals stole personal data in the huge attack” (Sky News, May 14): As the dust settles on the recent cyber attack against M&S, cybersecurity experts are pushing back on the retailer’s assurance that customers need to take “no action.” While no passwords or payment details were stolen, hackers accessed names, addresses, phone numbers and other contact information, prime material for phishing and fraud.

Experts warn of a likely increase in fake delivery texts, scam calls and phishing emails that appear unusually convincing due to the stolen personal data. NetSPI’s Sam Kirkman cautioned that criminals could use this information to impersonate trusted organisations, building false credibility to manipulate victims. He urged customers to follow the “Stop, Challenge, Protect” framework to stay safe.

Additional guidance includes updating passwords across all accounts, enabling two-factor authentication, and never clicking on unsolicited links. Even when payment data isn’t exposed, hackers often assemble these data fragments into full-blown identity fraud attempts. As experts stress, the real danger lies in how this stolen data may now be weaponised.

You can read the full article here.