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The April 2025 cyber attacks targeting U.K. retailers Marks & Spencer and Co-op have been classified as a "single combined cyber event."
That's according to an assessment from the Cyber Monitoring Centre (CMC), a U.K.-based independent, non-profit body set up by the insurance industry to categorize major cyber events.
"Given that one threat actor claimed responsibility for both M&S and Co-op, the close timing, and the similar tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), CMC has assessed the incidents as a single combined cyber event," the CMC said.
The organization has categorized the disruption of the retailers as a "Category 2 systemic event." It's estimated that the security breaches will have a total financial impact of £270 million ($363 million) to £440 million ($592 million).
However, the cyber attack on Harrods around the same time has not been included at this stage, citing a lack of adequate information about the cause and impact.
The initial access vector employed in the attacks targeting Marks & Spencer and Co-op revolved around the use of social engineering tactics, particularly targeting IT help desks.
The CMC further noted that its attribution efforts are still ongoing. That said, the notorious cybercrime group known as Scattered Spider (aka UNC3944) is believed to be behind the intrusions.
The group, an offshoot of the larger cybercrime community known as The Com, has a track record of leveraging its English-speaking members to carry out advanced social engineering attacks where they impersonate members of a company's IT department to obtain unauthorized access.
"The impact from this event is 'narrow and deep,' having significant implications for two companies, and knock-on effects for suppliers, partners, and service providers," the CMC said.
Earlier this week, Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) revealed that Scattered Spider actors have begun to target major insurance companies in the United States.
"Given this actor's history of focusing on a sector at a time, the insurance industry should be on high alert, especially for social engineering schemes which target their help desks and call centers," John Hultquist, Chief Analyst at GTIG, said.
"The anticipated threat of Iranian cyber capability to U.S. organizations has been the focus of many discussions lately, but these actors are already targeting critical infrastructure. We expect more high-profile incidents in the near term as they move from sector to sector."
The development comes as Indian consulting giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) disclosed that its systems or users were not compromised as part of the attack against Marks & Spencer. Last month, the Financial Times reported that TCS is internally probing whether its systems were used as a launchpad for the attack.
It also follows a new strategy from the Qilin ransomware operation that involves offering legal assistance to ramp up pressure during ransom negotiations. The threat actors also claim to have an in-house team of journalists who can work together with the legal department to craft blog posts and assist with victim negotiations.
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