What the M&S Data Breach Teaches Leisure Operators About Digital Resilience

When a household name like M&S suffers a data breach, it’s not just headline news, it’s a wake-up call for everyone. 

The M&S incident highlighted a common but often overlooked risk: human error combined with sophisticated tactics. In this case, attackers cloned an employee’s SIM card, allowing them to intercept two-factor authentication codes and bypass what was assumed to be a secure system. While details are still emerging, the message is clear, no one is immune, and the cost of underestimating cyber threats is high.

For leisure operators managing sensitive member data and complex payment processes, it’s a moment to pause and ask: how prepared are we if something similar happened to us?

Why This Matters to Leisure Organisations

Across leisure trusts, universities, and council-run facilities, digital systems now handle everything from direct debits and bookings to personal health information. Behind every swim lesson, group class or facility hire is a trail of data, and public expectation that it will be kept safe.

In an industry built on community trust and public service, a breach doesn’t just risk financial penalties. It risks relationships, reputation, and funding.

Practical Steps Operators Should Consider

1. Know Where Your Data Lives
Is your data stored in the UK? Is it backed up in multiple locations? Operators should understand how and where their systems store critical data and what happens in the event of a disruption.

2. Revisit Access and Authentication Policies
How is access controlled? Multi-factor authentication and role-based access are becoming standard practice, not just for IT staff, but for anyone logging into operational systems.

3. Understand Your Backup and Recovery Plan
What’s your recovery time if systems go down? Can your organisation continue processing payments or allowing members in if your core systems are compromised?

4. Check Your Compliance Posture
Are you regularly testing for vulnerabilities? Is your provider transparent about penetration testing, audits, and how they handle security incidents?

5. Train Your People, Not Just Your Tech
Frontline teams are often the first line of defence - but not always the best prepared. 

This isn’t just a problem for retail giants. Leisure facilities increasingly rely on digital systems with similar access points - from facility management to payment processing. If staff are unaware of the risks, they might inadvertently share information or respond to phishing messages that give attackers a foothold.

Operators need to ensure that staff at all levels - whether managing memberships, payments, or digital systems, are trained to:

• Spot phishing attempts: Teach teams to recognise suspicious emails, texts, or phone calls, especially those requesting logins, codes, or system changes.

• Understand social engineering: Make them aware that attackers often use charm, pressure, or urgency to trick people into revealing information or approving unauthorised changes.

• Report suspicious activity: Create a clear, no-blame culture where staff feel comfortable reporting anything that feels off, without fear of repercussions.

• Stay alert to mobile vulnerabilities: Highlight risks like SIM swapping and encourage staff to use secure, private numbers for authentication when possible.

• Regularly review access permissions: Ensure that staff only have the access they truly need, and that unused accounts are quickly deactivated.

Training isn’t a one-off box-ticking exercise, it should be a continuous part of staff development, with regular updates, refresher sessions, and simulated phishing exercises to keep everyone on the ball.

After all, the best technical defences in the world can be undone by a single click from an untrained employee. A culture of vigilance and awareness is the most powerful defence a leisure centre can build.

What Peace of Mind Looks Like in Practice

For organisations already using Gladstone Go, resilience is designed in from the ground up:

• Cloud-Based Stability: Data is stored in Microsoft Azure’s UK-based cloud, with geo-redundant backups and automated failover. This ensures continuous service availability, even if a data centre issue arises.

• Built-In Payment Safeguards: Direct Debits are handled via secure, PCI-DSS compliant systems. Because collections are managed in-house (rather than relying on third-party gateways), disruption risks are reduced and audit trails remain intact.

• Security-First Architecture: The platform uses multi-factor authentication, role-based access, and real-time monitoring via Crowdstrike and ActZero. It also undergoes regular penetration testing and annual independent security audits.

• Encryption and Compliance: All personal and financial data is encrypted at rest and in transit. The platform aligns with GDPR and ISO 27001 standards to protect customer data and organisational IP.

• Recovery When It Matters Most: With data recovery points every 6 minutes and a two to four-hour recovery window for critical services, disruption is minimised. Operators can focus on members, not firefighting IT issues.

The goal isn’t to make cyber threats disappear, unfortunately they won’t. But with the right digital partner, their impact doesn’t have to bring your services to a halt.

Why Gladstone is a Trusted Cybersecurity Partner

Cyber incidents are no longer rare. They’re part of digital operations today. But with the right partner, disruptions don’t need to halt your services.

Gladstone is committed to leading-edge security. We’ve already set the bar high by aligning with international best practices like ISO27001:2022 and PCI-DSS 4.0.1.

Now with Cyber Essentials Plus under our belt, we're working towards ISO27017 and ISO27018 - we’re proving we don’t just talk about security, we implement it. Our achievements in this space are worth highlighting - read more in our latest blog - Gladstone Sets Cybersecurity Standard for Leisure Sector.

Final Thoughts: Resilience Is Now a Core Competency

Cyber incidents used to be considered exceptional. Today, they’re part of operating in a digital world. That doesn’t mean accepting risk, it means planning for it. Whether you're mid-migration or evaluating suppliers, the question isn’t just what the system can do on a good day. It’s how it performs when things go wrong.

If you're unsure how your current systems stack up, now is a good time to find out. Quiet confidence starts with strong digital foundations.