Four young people have been arrested in connection with cyber-attacks against major British retailers Marks & Spencer, the Co-op and Harrods.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the individuals were arrested early on Thursday morning on suspicion of blackmail, money laundering, offences linked to the Computer Misuse Act and participating in the activities of an organised crime group.
Electronic devices seized
The arrests included a 17-year-old British man from the West Midlands, a 19-year-old Latvian man from the West Midlands, a 19-year-old British man from London and a 20-year-old British woman from Staffordshire.
All four were arrested from their home addresses and remain in custody.
Police also seized electronic devices from the properties.
The arrests follow extensive investigations by the NCA into cyber-attacks targeting the three retailers, where hackers had broken into the companies' IT systems and demanded ransom payments.
M&S says attack cost £300 million
Marks & Spencer was the first retailer to be targeted by the hackers, with the company shutting down a raft of systems in response on Easter Sunday.
The company said the attack has cost the firm around £300 million after it shut down its website for six weeks.
Meanwhile, Co-op saw payments disrupted and shelves become bare from May because of the fallout from its cyber-attack. Hackers also stole Co-op members' personal data, including names and contact details.
Harrods restricted internet access across its websites in May following attempts to gain unauthorised access to its systems.
The arrests mark a breakthrough in police efforts to investigate the attacks, which had been linked to the Scattered Spider group of hackers.
Paul Foster, head of the NCA's National Cyber Crime Unit, said: "Since these attacks took place, specialist NCA cybercrime investigators have been working at pace and the investigation remains one of the agency's highest priorities".
Foster added that Thursday's arrests represented "a significant step in that investigation but our work continues, alongside partners in the UK and overseas, to ensure those responsible are identified and brought to justice."
"Hopefully this signals to future victims the importance of seeking support and engaging with law enforcement as part of the reporting process."
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
