Marks & Spencer has finally restored its full online services after almost four months. The British retailer initially estimated the impact of the cyberattack in April at £300 million (€258 million) on this year’s profits.
After a chaotic period, customers can now order all products on the M&S website for home delivery or in-store pickup. This was announced by John Lyttle, managing director of fashion, home, and beauty, in an online message on Monday.
The attack forced M&S to suspend contactless payments and pause online orders for clothing and household items. IT systems were taken offline and shortages appeared on the shelves. Competitors were able to take advantage of the British chain’s problems for months.
Lessons from a costly hack
The attack shows how vulnerable modern retailers are to cyber threats. Companies that operate both online and physically experience major operational problems when digital systems fail.
The question of whether M&S paid ransom to the attackers remains unanswered. The company is keeping its lips sealed on this issue, possibly on legal advice. However, it is clear that most of the damage had already been done before any negotiations took place.
Read also: Did Marks & Spencer pay the ransomware ransom or not?
