UK Retail Giant Co-op Shuts Down IT Systems After Cyberattack Attempt

The Co-operative Group has confirmed it shut down parts of its IT network after detecting an attempted cyberattack, in what is the latest incident to affect a major UK retailer. The move was described as precautionary and aimed at containing the threat before any systems could be compromised.

Although the shutdown affected internal functions such as virtual desktops, stock systems, and contact centre operations, Co-op reassured the public that all food stores, home delivery services, and funeral operations are running as normal.

“There is no evidence that customer data has been accessed,” the company said in a statement. “We took swift action to protect our systems and continue to monitor the situation closely.”

This incident follows a more disruptive attack on M&S (Marks & Spencer) earlier this month, which impacted contactless payments, and online orders, and led to temporary stock shortages. That breach was linked to the cybercriminal group known ...