Marks & Spencer Ditches Tata Consultancy Services Amid Cyber Attack Fallout

Marks & Spencer has cancelled its long-running technology helpdesk contract with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), just months after a devastating cyber attack left the retailer with estimated losses of £300m. The attack, carried out by hackers from the Scattered Spider group, saw the company's online sales halted for weeks and shelves left empty. The decision to end the contract with TCS, despite the company denying responsibility for the attack, has raised questions about the timing and why it was not renewed.

Key Takeaways:

• Marks & Spencer lost an estimated £300m due to the cyber attack, which forced the company to halt online sales for weeks.
• The hackers gained access to M&S's systems through "social engineering", where they impersonated executives to get their passwords reset.
• TCS held an internal investigation into whether its technology helpdesk had acted as a gateway for the hackers, but found no fault.
• The tender for the M&S helpdesk contract was started months before the cyber attack, according to TCS.
• M&S has ended its contract with TCS to operate the company's technology helpdesk, but still works with TCS on other technology projects.
• The decision to end the contract will raise questions about why it was not renewed, given that TCS denied responsibility for the attack.
• Archie Norman, M&S chairman, told MPs that hackers had used "sophisticated impersonation" to gain entry "involving a third party".
• TCS does not provide cyber security services to M&S, according to the company.

Statistics:

• £300m: Estimated losses to Marks & Spencer due to the cyber attack.
• Weeks: Duration of online sales halt due to the attack.
• July: Month in which Archie Norman told MPs about the attack and the role of "sophisticated impersonation".

Sources:

• "M&S ditches Tata over cyber scandal" by Matthew Field and Hannah Boland, [Undated]
• Source 1: An M&S spokesman
• Source 2: A TCS spokesman