Marks & Spencer hackers appear to protect ‘former Soviet states’ from attacks

Marks & Spencer hackers appear to protect ‘former Soviet states’ from attacks
DragonForce group also says it has targeted Co-op and Harrods in cybercrime spree
Hackers who bragged about crippling Marks & Spencer’s systems and breaching Co-op Group databases appeared to have vowed to protect “the former Soviet Union” from the technology used in the attacks.

The DragonForce cybercrime group appeared to use a dark web forum to issue a threat to “punish any violations” by fellow hackers planning to use its ransomware in Russia or the former Soviet states – the first indication of any allegiance.

The group, which licenses its ransomware to other hacking gangs for a fee, claimed responsibility for an attack that has left shelves at some branches of M&S bare and has forced the company to suspend online orders.

A separate attack on the Co-op led to a data breach and customer details being stolen, and the group has also been linked to an attempt to hack systems at Harrods.

“Any attack by our software on critical infrastructure, hospitals where critical patients, children, and the elderly are kept, or on the countries of the former Soviet Union, is a PROVOCATION by unscrupulous partners,” read a statement which claimed to be from the group, released at the end of last month.

“We, as regulators, are doing our best to counteract this, and we will punish any violations, as well as assist in solving the problems of the affected parties.”