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PRIVACY
Retail & Consumer

M&S cyber attack: º£½ÇÊÓÆµ firms face long-term fallout as cyber crime soars

New data from Hiscox has revealed the long term brand and commercial damage from breaches has more than doubled in the past year, underscoring the mounting risks in an AI-driven threat landscape

Marks & Spencer(Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

The enduring impact and escalating costs of cyber attacks for º£½ÇÊÓÆµ businesses are becoming increasingly evident.

Hiscox's new data reveals that the long-term brand and commercial damage resulting from breaches has more than doubled in the past year, highlighting the growing risks in an AI-driven threat landscape, as reported by .

In its most recent cyber readiness report, Hiscox discovered that 47 per cent of companies affected by cyber attacks in 2024 reported increased difficulty in attracting new customers, a figure more than double the 20 per cent recorded in 2023.

Customer loss surged from 21 per cent to 43 per cent, while brand-damaging bad publicity rose from 25 to 38 per cent.

Marks and Spencer could potentially become a case study in reputational fallout, following a significant breach in April that disrupted its operations for weeks and exposed customer data.

Analysts have estimated that the FTSE 100 retailer lost over £60m in online sales, while its share price has dropped approximately £1.3bn in value.

M&S is anticipated to claim up to £100m from its cyber insurance policy.

Brand trust and business partners at risk

Risks to businesses extend far beyond lost sales.