Scattered Spider is focus of NCA inquiry into cyber-attacks against UK retailers

Marks & Spencer has said it will take an estimated £300m hit to profits this year because of the disruption from the cyber-attack. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA

A hacker community known as Scattered Spider is a key suspect in a criminal inquiry into cyber-attacks against UK retailers including Marks & Spencer, detectives have said.

Scattered Spider, a loose collective of native English-speaking cybercriminals, has been strongly linked with hacks against M&S, the Co-op and Harrods. M&S said on Wednesday it will take an estimated £300m hit to profits after its systems were hacked last month.