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Taiwan Cyber Unit Unfazed by China’s Bounty Threat on Alleged Hackers

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Taiwan’s cyber defense forces have vowed not to be intimidated by China’s offer of monetary rewards for the arrest of 20 individuals Beijing claims are Taiwanese military hackers, the island’s defense ministry said on Wednesday. Taiwan emphasized that China’s legal system holds no jurisdiction over the democratically governed island.

The controversy escalated last week when China’s Guangzhou Public Security Bureau named and published photos, names, and identity card numbers of the alleged hackers linked to Taiwan’s Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command, offering rewards exceeding $1,000 for their capture. Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office warned that it would “pursue the matter to the end” and would not show leniency.

In response, Taiwan’s defense ministry condemned China for spreading false narratives and using “cross-border rewards” as part of what it called a disinformation campaign to weaken military morale. Taiwan’s constitution affirms that Chinese laws have no binding authority on the island or its people.

“The officers and soldiers of the Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command will remain steadfast,” the ministry said, “defending the digital frontier and ensuring national security through solid information defense.”

Taiwan has frequently accused China of extensive cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining public trust in Taiwan’s government, amid increasing military and political pressure from Beijing.

Marks & Spencer Resumes Online Orders After 46-Day Cyberattack Shutdown

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British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has resumed online orders for its clothing range after a 46-day suspension due to a cyberattack. The company’s shares rose 3.5% following the restart of standard home deliveries in England, Scotland, and Wales for most clothing items.

An M&S spokesperson noted that not all products are currently available online, with the initial focus on best-selling and new items. The retailer plans to expand the available product selection daily. Deliveries to Northern Ireland, as well as click-and-collect, next-day, nominated-day, and international delivery services, are expected to resume in the coming weeks.

M&S halted clothing and home orders through its website and app on April 25 after technical issues during the Easter holiday weekend disrupted contactless payments and click-and-collect services. The company had initially disclosed managing a “cyber incident” on April 22.

Last month, M&S projected that online disruptions would continue into July and estimated the financial impact at approximately £300 million ($404 million) in lost operating profit for the 2025/26 financial year. However, the company aims to reduce this loss through insurance claims and cost-cutting measures. The cyberattack also interfered with M&S’s supply chain, hindering its ability to stock stores during a period of high demand driven by warm weather.

Industry analysts anticipate that the upcoming end-of-season sale will feature larger inventories and deeper discounts than usual. Despite Tuesday’s share price recovery, M&S shares remain 9.5% lower since the cyberattack was first reported.

The breach occurred when hackers exploited a vulnerability by deceiving employees at a third-party contractor, allowing them to bypass M&S’s digital security measures. In response, M&S plans to use this incident as an opportunity to accelerate technological upgrades.

In recent weeks, several global retailers have reported similar cyber incidents, including UK grocer the Co-op Group, German sportswear brand Adidas, luxury jeweller Cartier, and U.S. lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret.

United Natural Foods Cyber Incident Disrupts Operations, Affects Whole Foods Supply

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United Natural Foods Inc (UNFI), a major U.S. grocery distributor supplying clients including Whole Foods, experienced a cyber incident that forced it to take certain internal systems offline, temporarily disrupting its ability to fulfill and distribute customer orders.

The company disclosed in a June 9 SEC filing that it proactively shut down some systems after detecting unauthorized activity on its networks on June 5. While specifics of the incident were not disclosed, the disruption has caused operational delays expected to continue for a time.

Shares of United Natural fell sharply on Monday, closing down nearly 7% at $25.94 amid concerns over the incident’s impact.

A Whole Foods spokesperson confirmed efforts to restock shelves promptly but referred further questions to United Natural Foods.

This incident follows a series of recent cyberattacks affecting major retailers in the U.S. and UK, including Marks & Spencer, Co-op, Harrods, and Victoria’s Secret. While United Natural has not confirmed the nature of the unauthorized activity, similar disruptions have frequently involved ransomware attacks, where criminals encrypt company data and demand ransom payments.

United Natural Foods is the largest publicly traded distributor focused on “healthier food options” across the U.S. and Canada and recently secured an eight-year extension as primary distributor for Amazon-owned Whole Foods. The company reported $8.2 billion in net sales for the 13 weeks ending February 1, 2025.

The FBI has not commented on the incident.