**Marks & Spencer’s Website Outage Leaves Shoppers Frustrated Amid Cyber Attack Fallout**
Shoppers hoping to buy from Marks & Spencer’s online store have encountered major difficulties, as the retailer’s website continues to be offline following a significant cyber incident. Instead of the usual browsing experience, visitors are currently met with a holding message: “Sorry you can’t browse the site currently. We’re making some updates and will be back soon.” The homepage is otherwise inaccessible, leaving many customers unable to access products and place orders.
The ongoing disruption reflects the prolonged fallout from a cyber attack that struck the iconic high street chain around the Easter period this year. While some initial reports suggested that scheduled maintenance might be behind the downtime, it is now understood the retailer is undergoing a detailed recovery process. Marks & Spencer has been approached for clarification amid growing customer concern.
The breach at M&S resulted in the suspension of online orders and stock shortages in some physical stores. Hackers are believed to have accessed sensitive customer information during the attack, with reports indicating that personal data such as names, email addresses, postal addresses, and dates of birth may have been compromised. The precise scale of the data breach is still being established.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, company representatives revealed that the incursion into their systems was the result of “human error.” This admission comes as a blow for the retailer, which estimates the cost of the attack could reach an eye-watering £300 million. Stuart Machin, the chief executive, added that the disruption may continue for several more weeks and potentially into July.
Despite these serious challenges, Marks & Spencer has reported a period of robust trading. In the company’s most recent annual results, adjusted pre-tax profit was up 22.2% to £875.5 million for the year ending March. This financial performance stands in sharp contrast to the operational and reputational damage wrought by the cyber incident.
Cybersecurity experts have urged patience both from the retailer and its customers. Robert Cottrill, technology director at digital firm ANS, emphasised the importance of a methodical approach. He noted, “M&S appears to be taking the appropriate and necessary steps following the cyber attack, with a likely focus on restoring core systems and recovering critical data.” Industry professionals widely agree that, given the international complexity of M&S’s IT infrastructure, a comprehensive and cautious recovery process is the best course of action.
“Given the scale and complexity of M&S’s globally connected operations, the recovery process is understandably meticulous, with multiple interconnected systems requiring scrutiny,” Cottrill explained. “It’s essential that M&S prioritises a secure and complete recovery over a rapid one. Rushing to bring systems back online without full assurance of their integrity could risk further compromise.” He added that thorough security checks at every level are crucial to resilience.
The retailer’s experience offers a stern warning to other organisations about the dangers posed by cyber threats. Business analysts have noted that even established firms like Marks & Spencer, with decades of trading history, are not immune to such disruptive digital attacks. Experts advocate for regular assessment of incident response strategies, routine testing, and active engagement with cybersecurity specialists as indispensable components of risk management.
Moreover, a preventative mindset – encompassing early threat identification, robust security protocols, and ongoing staff education – is now regarded as vital to reducing organisational vulnerability. As customers wait for the return of M&S’s digital services, industry observers hope the severe disruption will lead to improved safeguards, not only for the retailer but across the wider sector.
As of now, no further timeline has been provided for when the Marks & Spencer website will be back to full function. Customers have been advised to monitor official channels for updates, while the retail giant works to fortify its defences against future cyber threats.