Critical infrastructure

M&S CEO targeted by hackers in abusive ransom email

Marks & Spencer has been directly targeted by a ransomware group calling itself DragonForce, which sent a vulgar and abusive ransom email to CEO Stuart Machin using a compromised employee email address.

The message, laced with offensive language and racist terms, demanded that Machin engage via a darknet portal to negotiate payment. It also claimed that the hackers had encrypted the company’s servers and stolen customer data, a claim M&S eventually acknowledged weeks later.

The email, dated 23 April, appears to have been sent from the account of an Indian IT worker employed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a long-standing M&S tech partner.

TCS has denied involvement and stated that its systems were not the source of the breach. M&S has remained silent publicly, neither confirming the full scope of the attack nor disclosing whether a ransom was paid.

The cyber attack has caused major disruption, costing M&S an estimated £300 million and halting online orders for over six weeks.

DragonForce has also claimed responsibility for a simultaneous attack on the Co-op, which left some shelves empty for days. While nothing has yet appeared on DragonForce’s leak site, the group claims it will publish stolen information soon.

Investigators believe DragonForce operates as a ransomware-as-a-service collective, offering tools and platforms to cybercriminals in exchange for a 20% share of any ransom.

Some experts suspect the real perpetrators may be young hackers from the West, linked to a loosely organised online community called Scattered Spider. The UK’s National Crime Agency has confirmed it is focusing on the group as part of its inquiry into the recent retail hacks.

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OpenAI and India plan AI infrastructure push

OpenAI is in discussions with the Indian government to collaborate on data centre infrastructure as part of its new global initiative, ‘OpenAI for Countries’.

The programme aims to help partner nations expand AI capabilities through joint investment and strategic coordination with the US. India could become one of the ten initial countries in the effort, although specific terms remain under wraps.

During a visit to Delhi, OpenAI’s chief strategy officer Jason Kwon emphasised India’s potential, citing the government’s clear focus on infrastructure and AI talent.

Similar to the UAE’s recently announced Stargate project in Abu Dhabi, India may host large-scale AI computing infrastructure while also investing in the US under the same framework.

To nurture AI skills, OpenAI and the Ministry of Electronics and IT’s IndiaAI Mission launched the ‘OpenAI Academy’. It marks OpenAI’s first international rollout of its educational platform.

The partnership will provide free access to AI tools, developer training, and events, with content in English, Hindi, and four additional regional languages. It will also support government officials and startups through dedicated learning platforms.

The collaboration includes hackathons, workshops in six cities, and up to $100,000 in API credits for selected IndiaAI fellows and startups. The aim is to accelerate innovation and help Indian developers and researchers scale AI solutions more efficiently, according to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

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China accuses Taiwan of cyber attacks and offers a bounty

Authorities in Guangzhou have placed a secret bounty on more than 20 individuals suspected of launching cyber attacks on Chinese targets, according to state news agency Xinhua.

One named suspect, Ning Enwei, is reportedly linked to Taiwan’s government. While the size of the reward remains undisclosed, officials claim the accused hackers targeted sectors including defence, aerospace, energy, and science—alongside agencies in Hong Kong and Macau.

Xinhua stated that Taiwan’s ‘information, communication and digital army’ has coordinated with US forces to carry out cyber and cognitive warfare against China.

These accusations form part of a broader Chinese narrative suggesting Taiwan is seeking independence through foreign alliances, particularly with US intelligence agencies. State media also claimed the US has trained Taiwanese personnel and helped orchestrate cyber attacks on the mainland.

In response, a senior Taiwanese security official, speaking anonymously, dismissed the claims as fabricated. The official argued that Beijing is attempting to deflect criticism following allegations of Chinese cyber activities in Europe, especially in the Czech Republic.

‘It is typical of the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to change the narrative,’ the official said, branding Beijing an international cyber threat instead of a victim.

Taiwan’s government has yet to issue an official statement.

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Salt Typhoon and Silk Typhoon reveal weaknesses

Recent revelations about Salt Typhoon and Silk Typhoon have exposed severe weaknesses in how organisations secure their networks.

These state-affiliated hacking groups have demonstrated that modern cyber threats come from well-resourced and coordinated actors instead of isolated individuals.

Salt Typhoon, responsible for one of the largest cyber intrusions into US infrastructure, exploited cloud network vulnerabilities targeting telecom giants like AT&T and Verizon, forcing companies to reassess their reliance on traditional private circuits.

Many firms continue to believe private circuits offer better protection simply because they are off the public internet. Some even add MACsec encryption for extra defence. However, MACsec’s ‘hop-by-hop’ design introduces new risks—data is repeatedly decrypted and re-encrypted at each routing point.

Every one of these hops becomes a possible target for attackers, who can intercept, manipulate, or exfiltrate data without detection, especially when third-party infrastructure is involved.

Beyond its security limitations, MACsec presents high operational complexity and cost, making it unsuitable for today’s cloud-first environments. In contrast, solutions like Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) offer simpler, end-to-end encryption.

Although not perfect in cloud settings, IPSec can be enhanced through parallel connections or expert guidance. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) urges organisations to prioritise complete encryption of all data in transit, regardless of the underlying network.

Silk Typhoon has further amplified concerns by exploiting privileged credentials and cloud APIs to infiltrate both on-premise and cloud systems. These actors use covert networks to maintain long-term access while remaining hidden.

As threats evolve, companies must adopt Zero Trust principles, strengthen identity controls, and closely monitor their cloud environments instead of relying on outdated security models.

Collaborating with cloud security experts can help shut down exposure risks and protect sensitive data from sophisticated and persistent threats.

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HMRC got targeted in a £47 million UK fraud

A phishing scheme run by organised crime groups cost the UK government £47 million, according to officials from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

Criminals posed as taxpayers to claim payments using fake or hijacked credentials. Rather than a cyberattack, the operation relied on impersonation and did not involve the theft of taxpayer data.

Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s deputy chief executive, confirmed to Parliament’s Treasury Committee that the fraud took place in 2024. The stolen funds were taken through three separate payments, though HMRC managed to block an additional £1.9 million attempt.

Officials began a cross-border criminal investigation soon after discovering the scam, which has led to arrests.

Around 100,000 PAYE accounts — typically used by employers for employee tax and national insurance payments — were either created fraudulently or accessed illegally.

Banks were also targeted through the use of HMRC-linked identity information. Customers first flagged the issue when they noticed unusual activity.

HMRC has shut down the fake accounts and removed false data as part of its response. John-Paul Marks, HMRC’s chief executive, assured the committee that the incident is now under control and contained. ‘That is a lot of money and unacceptable,’ MacDonald told MPs.

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Meta inks 20-year nuclear deal to power AI expansion

Meta has entered a landmark 20-year agreement with Constellation to purchase 1.1 gigawatts of nuclear power from the Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois, starting in 2027.

The deal is designed to support the company’s rapidly growing AI infrastructure and data centres as energy demands surge across the tech industry.

Once facing closure due to financial losses, the Clinton plant’s future is secure — without relying on Illinois’ Zero Emission Credit programme. The agreement will keep over 1,100 local jobs, boost grid capacity by 30 megawatts, and generate an estimated $13.5 million in annual tax revenue.

Illinois lawmakers have praised the deal for its economic and environmental benefits, with Republican Regan Deering calling it ‘a forward-thinking investment.’

The partnership is part of Meta’s broader strategy to build a nuclear-powered AI ecosystem. With clean energy targets of 1 to 4 gigawatts, Meta has been negotiating with multiple nuclear providers and says further agreements are in the final stages.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, global data centre energy use is set to more than double by 2030 — potentially outstripping Japan’s entire electricity consumption. Meta alone plans to invest $65 billion in AI infrastructure in 2025.

The Clinton plant deal also serves as a hedge against the environmental impact of fossil fuels. A 2024 study by the Brattle Group estimated that closing the facility would have led to an additional 34 million metric tons of carbon emissions over two decades. It would also have dealt an annual $765 million blow to Illinois’ GDP.

Constellation, the plant’s operator, said consistent, carbon-free baseload power is essential for the AI-driven future. With its reliability and scale, nuclear energy is increasingly seen as critical to supporting always-on AI systems.

Meanwhile, Meta continues advancing its AI vision. The company plans to fully automate ad creation by late 2026, generating images, videos, and text tailored to user location and timing.

This automation effort has already boosted ad performance, with Q1 2025 results showing a 30% rise in AI-generated ad use, a 10% increase in average ad prices, and $42.31 billion in revenue — a 16% year-over-year jump.

However, the push for AI-generated content has unsettled the advertising industry. Firms like Omnicom Group have seen share prices dip over fears disrupting to traditional creative and production models.

Zuckerberg’s long-term AI vision includes automating marketing and enhancing user experience through AI companions and virtual therapists — part of Meta’s goal to integrate machine learning into everyday life while ensuring its platforms run on clean, scalable energy.

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Cyber attack hits Lee Enterprises staff data

Thousands of current and former employees at Lee Enterprises have had their data exposed following a cyberattack earlier this year.

Hackers accessed to the company’s systems in early February, compromising sensitive information such as names and Social Security numbers before the breach was contained the same day.

Although the media firm, which operates over 70 newspapers across 26 US states, swiftly secured its networks, a three-month investigation involving external cybersecurity experts revealed that attackers accessed databases containing employee details.

The breach potentially affects around 40,000 individuals — far more than the company’s 4,500 current staff — indicating that past employees were also impacted.

The stolen data could be used for identity theft, fraud or phishing attempts. Criminals may even impersonate affected employees to infiltrate deeper into company systems and extract more valuable information.

Lee Enterprises has notified those impacted and filed relevant disclosures with authorities, including the Maine Attorney General’s Office.

Headquartered in Iowa, Lee Enterprises draws over 200 million monthly online page views and generated over $611 million in revenue in 2024. The incident underscores the ongoing vulnerability of media organisations to cyber threats, especially when personal employee data is involved.

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Cyber attacks and ransomware rise globally in early 2025

Cyber attacks have surged by 47% globally in the first quarter of 2025, with organisations facing an average of 1,925 attacks each week.

Check Point Software, a cybersecurity firm, warns that attackers are growing more sophisticated and persistent, targeting critical sectors like healthcare, finance, and technology with increasing intensity.

Ransomware activity alone has soared by 126% compared to last year. Attackers are no longer just encrypting files but now also threaten to leak sensitive data unless paid — a tactic known as dual extortion.

Instead of operating as large, centralised gangs, modern ransomware groups are smaller and more agile, often coordinating through dark web forums, making them harder to trace.

The report also notes that cybercriminals are using AI to automate phishing attacks and scan systems for vulnerabilities, allowing them to strike with greater accuracy. Emerging markets remain particularly vulnerable, as they often lack advanced cybersecurity infrastructure.

Check Point urges companies to act decisively by adopting proactive security measures, investing in threat detection and employee training, and implementing real-time monitoring. Waiting for an attack instead of preparing in advance could leave organisations dangerously exposed.

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Customer data stolen in cyber attacks on Cartier and North Face

Fashion brand The North Face and luxury jeweller Cartier have confirmed recent cyber attacks that exposed customer data, including names and email addresses.

Neither company reported breaches of financial or password information.

North Face identified the attack as a credential stuffing attempt, where previously stolen passwords are used to break into other accounts.

Affected customers are being advised to change their login details, while the company’s owner, VF Corporation, continues recovering from an earlier incident.

Cartier said the breach allowed brief access to limited client data but insisted that it quickly secured its systems.

Retailers such as Adidas, Victoria’s Secret, Harrods, and M&S have all been hit in recent months, prompting warnings that the industry remains an attractive target for cyber criminals.

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NSO asks court to overturn WhatsApp verdict

Israeli spyware company NSO Group has requested a new trial after a US jury ordered it to pay $168 million in damages to WhatsApp.

The company, which has faced mounting legal and financial troubles, filed a motion in a California federal court last week seeking to reduce the verdict or secure a retrial.

The May verdict awarded WhatsApp $444,719 in compensatory damages and $167.25 million in punitive damages. Jurors found that NSO exploited vulnerabilities in the encrypted platform and sold the exploit to clients who allegedly used it to target journalists, activists and political rivals.

WhatsApp, owned by Meta, filed the lawsuit in 2019.

NSO claims the punitive award is unconstitutional, arguing it is over 376 times greater than the compensatory damages and far exceeds the US Supreme Court’s general guidance of a 4:1 ratio.

The firm also said it cannot afford the penalty, citing losses of $9 million in 2023 and $12 million in 2024. Its CEO testified that the company is ‘struggling to keep our heads above water’.

WhatsApp, responding to TechCrunch in a statement, said NSO was once again trying to evade accountability. The company vowed to continue its legal campaign, including efforts to secure a permanent injunction that would prevent NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp or its users again.

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