Three Important Facts
- The retailer suffered a cyber attack which is expected to reduce the company’s operating profit by £300 million and keep the online service experiencing problems.
- M&S’s share price fell by 10% after a DragonForce ransomware attack and the company lost more than £1 billion in value.
- M&S is trying to recover from the outage, use insurance and watch over expenses and is being sued in a class-action lawsuit about the security breach.
Introduction: M&S Cyber Attack Shakes UK Retail
The cyber attack on M&S has shaken the retail business across the UK. Thanks to its wide-reaching reputation in Britain, the Marks & Spencer name was soon in the news after a major ransomware attack disrupted the company’s website, uncovered customer data and made its share price drop. The event has alerted retailers around the world to the speedy consequences that accompany a cyberattack.
Table of Contents
What Is the Malware & Spam Cyber Attack?
A ransomware attack struck M&S in April 2025 and made the company postpone online clothes and home orders, stop contactless payment and disrupt deliveries of food items. According to officials, DragonForce broke in through a third-party provider, uncovering customer information like names, addresses and birthdates. Thankfully, no sensitive card information and passwords were taken by the hackers.
As a result of the attack, shelves were empty, no online services worked and staff had to hurry to fix vital IT systems. As soon as M&S seized their systems and placed security above speed, purchasers were immediately stopped and analysts estimate that over £40 million in sales has been lost each week.
Latest Developments: Consequences for the Financial Sector and Service Problems
The cost of the M&S cyber attack is very high. It expects that operating profit this year will fall 30% and reach around £300 million. It is expected that some of the loss can be covered by tight control of costs, insurance payments and changes in trading. Even though the company had its biggest pre-tax profit in 15 years last year, the recent cyber incident has taken over the news.
Users can expect that online services will be problematic all the way through June and likely into July, as they try to place orders. Because of the attack, the share price fell 10% and wiped £1 billion off M&S’s market value. People whose information was shared because of the incident have now sued the company under a class-action lawsuit to receive compensation.
The M&S Cyber Attack: A Study of Before and After
| Metric | Before Attack (Mar 2025) | After Attack (May 2025) |
| Online Sales | Normal | Suspended/disrupted |
| Operating Profit | £985 million (FY end) | -£300 million projected |
| Share Price | Stable/up 34% YoY | Down 10% since attack |
| Market Value | £13.8 billion | -£1 billion |
| Customer Data Breach | None | Names, addresses exposed |
Who Was Involved with the Cyber Attack on M&S?
- Marks & Spencer (M&S): Britain’s top retail brand, among the companies hit by a cyber attack.
- DragonForce: Group that says it took credit for the ransomware attack.
- Scattered Spider has been connected to cyberattacks on UK retailers.
- Tata Consulting Services (TCS), a third-party IT firm, is said to have suffered the credentials leaked in the attack.
- Stuart Machin is M&S CEO, supervising the company’s efforts to deal with and overcome the challenges.
- Thompsons Solicitors are leading a class action for the benefit of those customers who were affected.
The details you need to know about the M&S Cyber Attack
- Customers could not make online purchases or use certain store functions because the attack started over Easter.
- The information found by experts included names, birthdays, addresses and phone numbers, though they did not see payment or password data.
- Restoring the IT systems is a slow process and the company expects problems with online services to continue into July.
- To prevent such cases from repeating, M&S is teaming with law enforcement and cybersecurity groups.
An elective segment: M&S Share Price and the Influence of Investors
The M&S share price fell sharply right after the cyber attack. Shares dropped by 10% even though the company said its annual income had surpassed expectations. Investors are concerned about the price of lost income, possible lawsuits and the harm to the company’s good name. Even though M&S feels it will grow in the long run, investors want to see how swiftly the retailer can regain lost momentum.
M&S Share Price: What Happened Recently
| Date | Share Price Change | Key Event |
| April 2025 | Stable | Pre-cyber attack |
| May 2025 | -10% | Attack disclosed, services down |
| May 2025 | -3% | Financial impact confirmed |
“This incident is a bump in the road, and we will come out of this in better shape, and continue our plan to reshape M&S for customers, colleagues and shareholders.”
— Stuart Machin, CEO
Top Trending Questions
What happened in the M&S cyber attack?
M&S was hit by a ransomware attack that disrupted online orders, exposed customer data, and caused major financial losses.
How much did the cyber attack cost M&S?
The attack is expected to cost M&S around £300 million in operating profit for the current year.
Is M&S online shopping back to normal?
Online services remain disrupted and are expected to be restored gradually through July.
FAQs
Was customer payment data stolen in the M&S cyber attack?
No, M&S confirmed that no payment card details or account passwords were compromised in the breach.
Who is responsible for the M&S cyber attack?
The hacking group DragonForce claimed responsibility, with possible links to Scattered Spider.
How is M&S responding to the attack?
M&S is restoring systems, working with cybersecurity experts, and pursuing insurance and cost-saving measures.
Will M&S recover the financial losses?
The company hopes to offset some losses through insurance and cost controls, but the full impact is still unfolding.
What legal action is being taken after the attack?
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against M&S for the data breach, seeking compensation for affected customers.
Conclusion
It is clear that cyber attackers can still surprise and affect even a large business such as M&S. As M&S tries to recover, other retailers are paying attention to see if it can make this a chance for growth. Buzz Explained is your source for M&S cyber attack, share price updates and the hottest news in cybersecurity today!
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