Harrods has confirmed it was the target of an attempted cyberattack, making it the latest British retailer caught up in a wave of cybersecurity incidents affecting major high street names.
The upmarket department store said its IT security team had “immediately taken proactive steps” to prevent unauthorised access to its systems.
While full internet access at some sites was temporarily restricted, all Harrods locations — including the flagship Knightsbridge store, H beauty branches, and airport outlets — remain open to customers.
A Harrods spokesperson told The Independent: “We recently experienced attempts to gain unauthorised access to some of our systems. Our seasoned IT security team acted swiftly to safeguard operations.”
Customers can continue to shop online, and no changes to customer activity are required at this stage. The company said it would “continue to provide updates as necessary”.
Cyberattacks hit Marks & Spencer and The Co-op Group
The attempted breach follows major disruptions at other leading retailers. Marks & Spencer confirmed it has been unable to hire new employees due to an ongoing cyberattack that struck over the Easter weekend.
The ransomware attack forced M&S to suspend online orders and pause click-and-collect services. Although contactless payments have since resumed, product availability in some stores remains affected.
The Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
In a separate event, The Co-op Group also confirmed it had taken parts of its IT infrastructure offline following an attempted hack.
While all retail and funeral services remain operational, some back office and call centre functions have experienced disruption.
According to BBC News, Co-op staff have been instructed to keep cameras on during virtual meetings and verify identities to mitigate remote security risks.
