Home » Co-op CEO Confirms 6.5 Million Members Affected in April Cyber Attack

Co-op CEO Confirms 6.5 Million Members Affected in April Cyber Attack

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Exclusive BBC interview reveals full scale of data breach as retailer partners with cyber security firm to prevent future attacks

The chief executive of Co-op has confirmed that all 6.5 million of its members had their personal data stolen in a devastating cyber attack on the retailer in April, as the company faces an estimated financial impact of up to £440 million from the incident.

In her first public interview since the attack, Shirine Khoury-Haq told BBC Breakfast she was “devastated” by the breach and its impact on colleagues who fought to contain the damage. The admission comes as four suspects remain in custody following arrests by the National Crime Agency last week.

There was no financial data, no transaction data but it was names and addresses and contact information that was lost,” Ms Khoury-Haq said, offering an apology to affected members whilst revealing the personal toll of the incident.

The CEO described meeting IT staff during the crisis, saying: “Early on I met with our IT staff and they were in the midst of it. I will never forget the looks on their faces, trying to fight off these criminals.”

According to the Cyber Monitoring Centre, an independent body set up by the insurance industry, the combined attacks on Co-op and Marks & Spencer represent a “Category 2 systemic event” with financial losses estimated between £270 million and £440 million across both retailers.

The hackers, believed to be part of the notorious Scattered Spider group, gained initial access through sophisticated social engineering tactics targeting IT help desks. Sources familiar with the investigation indicate the criminals used password resets to compromise employee accounts before accessing the company’s network.

The hackers were removed from the systems but could not erase what they did so we could monitor every mouse click,” Ms Khoury-Haq revealed, noting that this intelligence was shared with authorities.

The attack, which began in mid-April, caused weeks of operational disruption with empty shelves reported across Co-op’s 2,300 stores as supply chain systems were taken offline. Some locations, particularly in remote areas like the Scottish island of Islay where Co-op is the only major grocery store, faced severe stock shortages.

Industry experts have linked the attacks to the DragonForce ransomware operation, with the group claiming responsibility for breaches at Co-op, Marks & Spencer and Harrods during the same period. The attacks employed similar tactics, techniques and procedures, leading investigators to treat them as a coordinated campaign.

Four individuals aged between 17 and 20 were arrested last Thursday by the National Crime Agency in coordinated raids across London, the West Midlands and Staffordshire. They face charges including Computer Misuse Act offences, blackmail, money laundering and participation in organised crime activities.

Deputy Director Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, called the arrests “a significant step” in what remains one of the agency’s highest priorities. Electronic devices seized during the raids are undergoing forensic analysis.

In response to the attack, Co-op announced a strategic partnership with The Hacking Games, a cyber security recruitment company that identifies young talent and channels their skills into legitimate careers. The initiative will include a pilot programme across Co-op’s 38 academy schools.

“The research shows that if you offer these kids talent development opportunities and career opportunities, the vast majority of them will take the legitimate pathway,” said Fergus Hay, chief executive of The Hacking Games.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis welcomed the partnership, stating: “Cybercrime destroys lives. The criminals carrying out these acts put the public and the economy at risk, and that’s why we’re continuing to take the decisive action necessary to keep UK jobs and businesses safe.

The attack highlights the vulnerability of the retail sector to cyber criminals, with research showing a 75% increase in ransomware attacks targeting retailers compared to last year. Co-op has not disclosed specific financial losses but continues to work on fully restoring back-end systems.

Ms Khoury-Haq emphasised the personal impact of the breach: “It hurt my members, they took their data and it hurt our customers and that I do take personally.” She urged members to remain vigilant whilst confirming that passwords and financial information were not compromised.

The incident has prompted calls for stronger cyber resilience across the retail sector, with the National Cyber Security Centre describing the attacks as a “wake-up call to all organisations” about the evolving threat landscape.

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