Four individuals have been arrested in connection with cyber-attacks on high-street retailers Marks & Spencer (M&S) and Co-op, police confirmed today. The attacks targeted the online shopping platforms of the two popular stores, causing disruptions to their services.
The arrests were made by the cybersecurity unit of the Metropolitan Police in London yesterday evening. The suspects, three men and one woman, are currently in police custody for questioning. Their identities have not been disclosed to the public at this time.
In response to the incidents, both M&S and Co-op have released statements acknowledging the cyber-attacks and expressing gratitude to the authorities for their swift action in apprehending the suspects. They reassured customers that their data and payment information were not compromised during the attacks.
The motives behind the cyber-attacks remain unclear, and the police have not provided details on whether the individuals acted independently or as part of a coordinated group. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the breach and any potential underlying reasons for the attacks.
Cyber-attacks on major retailers have become increasingly common in recent years, posing a significant threat to the security and stability of online shopping platforms. The collaboration between law enforcement agencies and businesses is crucial in addressing such cyber threats and safeguarding consumer data and trust.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Four arrested in connection with M&S and Co-op cyber-attacks”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.