Cyber attacks on UK retailers: Michael Yates’ comments featured in the Financial Times

Cyber attacks on UK retailers: Michael Yates’ comments featured in the Financial Times

“Hacking a well-known retail brand generates leverage…because the victim will want to avoid brand reputational damage at all costs to stop eroding customer trust.”

Michael Yates’ comments on the recent cyber attack on Marks and Spencer, which is still causing havoc for shoppers of the popular retail brand a fortnight on, have been featured in the Financial Times.

Now that two other major household names have also been targeted and a police investigation has been launched, the article discusses why hackers decide to target such trusted brands.

The full article is available here to those with a subscription.

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Michael Yates Partner

Michael is an information litigator who specialises in advising individuals and companies on reputation management, cyber crisis management and information, data privacy and media law disputes.

Michael is an information litigator who specialises in advising individuals and companies on reputation management, cyber crisis management and information, data privacy and media law disputes.

He covers the full spectrum of contentious matters, including in-print and online defamation, malicious falsehood, misuse of privacy information, breach of confidence, data protection, cyber attacks, data breaches, information theft, harassment, blackmail, right to be forgotten and subject access requests. He also advised on regulatory media and data complaints, reporting restrictions, NDAs, injunction applications, Norwich Pharmacal applications, online takedowns, apologies, damages claims and coroners' proceedings.

Michael often urgently advises clients who are in a crisis, typically when trying to protect reputation by stopping or mitigating the publication or broadcast of a false story, project managing a response to a cyber attack or preventing the unlawful misuse or disclose of information. He also provides regular training and preparedness sessions to clients to help get ahead of a media or cyber crisis.

He also protects publishers, platforms, data controllers and processors from legal claims.

Michael is ranked as ‘Up and coming’ in Chambers and Partners and is ‘Recommended’ by Spears Magazine.