M&S Cyber Attack
Even M&S Isn’t Immune: What This Cyber Incident Teaches UK Businesses About Modern Risk
When a brand as iconic and well-resourced as Marks & Spencer finds itself making headlines for a cyber incident, it’s more than just news—it’s a wake-up call.
Over the past few days, M&S has been battling what they’ve described as a “cyber incident” that’s disrupted core services including their Click and Collect platform, contactless payments, and even the use of gift cards in-store. Shoppers took to social media to voice their frustration (because what’s more British than being polite about a tech failure online?). But this isn’t just a retail glitch—it’s a prime example of how vulnerable even the biggest players are to cyber disruption.
At Munio, we call this perceived resilience vs. actual resilience. From the outside, M&S probably looked locked down tight. But as Daniel Card from BCS aptly said, this incident highlights the gap between how secure organisations think they are, and the reality.
So what’s really going on here?
The Truth About Today’s Cyber Threat Landscape
Cyber attackers are opportunists. They target vulnerabilities, timing their strikes for maximum impact—like over a long bank holiday weekend when IT teams are on skeleton staff and retail footfall is high. As Ian McShane from Arctic Wolf pointed out, “cyber attackers never take a day off.”
That means your defences need to work overtime, whether you’re a household name or a 20-person business in Kent.
“The recent M&S cyber incident is a stark reminder that no organisation—no matter how large or well-resourced—is immune to disruption. It underlines the fact that cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue; it’s a business continuity issue. At Munio, we help UK SMBs build real-world resilience, not just firewalls. Prevention, preparation, and rapid response are no longer optional—they’re essential.”
— Jason Lydford, CEO of Munio
The Real Cost of a “Minor” Outage
Let’s talk fallout:
•Customer Trust: Eroded.
•Operational Disruption: Mounting.
•Reputation: Battered across social media.
•Regulatory Scrutiny: The ICO and the National Cyber Security Centre are now involved.
•Financial Impact: Who knows yet, but it won’t be light.
This isn’t a drill. It’s business as usual in today’s cybersecurity climate.
So, What Should SMBs Be Doing?
We get it—you’re not M&S. You don’t have their budget. But here’s the good news: solid cybersecurity doesn’t have to break the bank. What it does require is:
•Proactive protection (not just hope and a firewall)
•End-to-end visibility of your systems and user behaviours
•Rapid response planning when things go wrong
•Expert support from people who’ve done it before
At Munio, we specialise in helping UK SMBs take practical, proportionate steps to protect what matters. From advanced threat detection and managed response to governance and compliance—we’ve got your back.
Full BBC article here:
Cyber Resilience Is a Team Sport
Whether you’re a local logistics firm or a national retailer, one thing’s clear: you can’t afford to cross your fingers and hope for the best anymore. Cybersecurity isn’t optional—it’s operational.
If you’re unsure whether your business would survive the kind of disruption M&S is experiencing, let’s talk.
Take our free Cyber Security Health Quiz: https://munio-it.co.uk/clarity
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