During a recent BBC appearance, Co-op chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq confirmed that hackers accessed member data, including names, addresses, and contact information, during the cyber attack.
“I’m devastated that information was taken,” Khoury-Haq stated.
“I’m also devastated by the impact that it had on our colleagues as they tried to contain all of this.”
While personal information was compromised, Khoury-Haq clarified that financial details, such as card numbers, remained secure. “There was no financial data, no transaction data, but it was names and addresses and contact information that was lost,” she noted.
The cyberattack on Co-op occurred at the end of April, coinciding with similar attacks on Marks & Spencer and Harrods.
On July 10, the National Crime Agency announced the arrest of two males aged 19, one aged 17, and a 20-year-old female in connection with the attacks on the three retailers. They were arrested at their home addresses in the West Midlands and London on charges related to computer misuse, blackmail, money laundering, and involvement with an organized crime group.
Reflecting on the impact of the attack, Khoury-Haq remarked: “Early on I met with our IT staff, and they were in the midst of it. I will never forget the looks on their faces, trying to fight off these criminals.”
She further emphasized the worry this has created among members: “We know a lot of that information is out there anyway, but people will be worried and all members should be concerned.”
In an early June statement, Khoury-Haq assured that the retailer was nearing full recovery from the cyberattack.
Additionally, Co-op members can vote on motions during the firm’s AGM. Notably, nearly 73% of members recently supported a motion calling for the firm to cease trading with Israel in response to ongoing violence in Gaza, which has resulted in over 58,500 deaths in the past 20 months.
Following this, the group announced its decision to stop sourcing Israeli goods.
