In the past few weeks Marks & Spencer, the Co-op and Harrods have all been grappling with the effects of cyber attacks. The most profitable form of cyber attack at the moment is ransomware where criminals infiltrate computer systems, shut them down and then demand a ransom to restore services, or even to stop them publishing data they’ve stolen. This is now a global criminal industry which can affect the running of whole businesses. Marks & Spencer said this week that disruption to its online ordering service would continue throughout June and into July. David Aaronovitch asks his guests how ransomware works, who is responsible and what can be done to stop it.

Guests:
Emily Taylor, CEO of Oxford Information Labs and co-founder Global Signal Exchange
Geoff White, investigative journalist and author and co-host of the BBC’s podcast series, The Lazarus Heist
Susan Landau, Professor of Cyber Security and Policy at Tufts University
Professor Alan Woodward, a computer security expert at the University of Surrey

Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight and Nathan Gower
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Sound Engineers: James Beard and Neil Churchill
Editor: Richard Vadon