M&S reported a cyber incident in April 2025 and later told customers that some personal data had been taken. The company has not confirmed that Scattered Spider was responsible, and the official statements cited here do not establish that ransomware was deployed or explain how attackers got in.
Was M&S hacked by Scattered Spider?
M&S publicly reported a cyber incident on 22 April 2025. However, the M&S statements and the National Crime Agency (NCA) announcement covered here do not confirm Scattered Spider’s involvement. They also do not establish the technical method used. The headline wording should therefore be understood as an unconfirmed attribution, not an official finding.
These sources do not confirm ransomware deployment, a ransom demand, or a specific route into M&S systems. The NCA later said it was investigating attacks on M&S, Co-op and Harrods, but its announcement did not name Scattered Spider or prove who carried out the M&S incident.
What happened, and when?
| Date | What was publicly reported |
|---|---|
| 22 April 2025 | M&S said it had been managing a cyber incident for several days and was making minor, temporary changes to store operations. At that early point, it said stores and its website and app were operating normally. It had engaged external cybersecurity experts and notified data-protection authorities and the NCSC. M&S regulatory filing |
| 23 April 2025 | M&S said its stores remained open, but contactless payments were not being processed, in-store Click & Collect collection was paused, and some online deliveries could be delayed. It said it had moved some processes offline. M&S service update |
| 2 May 2025 | The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said it had received reports from M&S and Co-op and was making enquiries with the companies while working closely with the NCSC. This was an update on enquiries, not a finding or enforcement outcome. ICO statement |
| 10 July 2025 | The NCA announced that four people had been arrested in the UK as part of an ongoing investigation into attacks targeting M&S, Co-op and Harrods. It said officers were investigating three attacks from April 2025. Arrests are not convictions and do not establish that those arrested carried out the M&S incident. NCA announcement |
What information was taken?
M&S said some personal customer data had been taken, but it had no evidence that the data had been shared. The company said the information could include contact details, date of birth and online order history. Its customer notice also listed household information, masked payment-card details, and certain M&S credit-card or Sparks Pay customer reference numbers as possible categories. M&S cyber update
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M&S said it did not hold full payment-card details on its systems and that the data taken did not include usable payment details. It also said customer account passwords were not included. These descriptions are M&S’s account of the information involved.
What should M&S customers do?
M&S said customers did not need to take action. It said customers would see a password-reset prompt the next time they logged in. The company also warned that scammers might send emails, make calls or send texts pretending to be from M&S. It said it would not ask customers to disclose their account usernames or passwords.
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- Be cautious of unexpected messages or calls claiming to be from M&S. Check where an email or text link leads before opening it.
- Do not give anyone your M&S username or password in response to a message or call.
- Use different passwords for different accounts and a strong, unique password for your email account. M&S and the ICO both advise against password reuse.
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The ICO’s advice is to use strong passwords, avoid reusing them, check the affected company’s updates and follow that organisation’s guidance. Neither that advice nor M&S’s notice means customers should disclose credentials to someone who contacts them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What have the authorities said?
On 2 May 2025, ICO Deputy Commissioner Stephen Bonner said the regulator had received reports from M&S and Co-op and was making enquiries with them alongside the NCSC. That statement confirmed the ICO’s involvement, not a conclusion about the incident.
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On 10 July 2025, NCA Deputy Director Paul Foster described the arrests as a significant step in the investigation and said the work continued to identify those responsible. The NCA’s announcement did not name Scattered Spider, establish guilt, or publish technical details that settle how the M&S attack occurred.
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