Harrods the Next UK Retailer Targeted in a Cyberattack

London's iconic department store, Harrods, has confirmed it was targeted in a cyberattack, becoming the third major UK retailer to report cyberattacks in a week following incidents at M&S and the Co-op. The news comes as a wake-up call for retailers across the country, highlighting the growing threat of cyberattacks in the retail sector.

In a statement shared with BleepingComputer, Harrods revealed that threat actors recently attempted to hack into their systems, causing the company to restrict access to sites. "We recently experienced attempts to gain unauthorised access to some of our systems," Harrods told BleepingComputer. "Our seasoned IT security team immediately took proactive steps to keep systems safe and as a result we have restricted internet access at our sites today."

Despite the attack, all Harrods stores, including its Knightsbridge store, H beauty stores, and airport stores, remain open and welcoming customers. Customers can also continue to shop via harrods.com. The company has not shared any further details in response to BleepingComputer's questions, such as whether systems were breached or if data was stolen.

This incident follows shortly after two other prominent UK retailers, Marks and Spencer and Co-op disclosed cyberattacks. M&S and Co-op also hit by cyberattacks Last week, Marks and Spencer confirmed it had suffered a cyberattack that led to disruption of its online ordering systems, contactless payments, and Click & Collect service.

BleepingComputer later confirmed the attack was linked to threat actors associated with the "Scattered Spider" tactics, who deployed the DragonForce ransomware on the company's network. Yesterday, Co-op also disclosed a cyber incident, stating they experienced attempts to hack into their network.

However, an internal email sent by Chief Digital and Information Officer Rob Elsey and seen by ITV News indicates the breach is larger than initially stated, telling employees that VPN access was disabled and urging staff to be vigilant when using email and Microsoft Teams. "When running a Microsoft Teams call, please ensure all attendees are as expected and that users are on camera," reads a portion of the email.

Law enforcement has not released an official advisory related to these attacks, but as M&S and Co-op are both believed to have started with social engineering attacks, we will likely see a bulletin released shortly. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that cyberattacks impacting UK retailers are a wake-up call for the industry.

"Cyberattacks can cause significant disruption to businesses, and it is essential that retailers take proactive steps to protect themselves," said the NCSC. "We urge all retailers to review their security protocols and consider implementing additional measures to prevent future attacks."

As the retail sector continues to grapple with the threat of cyberattacks, one thing is clear: cybersecurity must be a top priority for businesses of all sizes.

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UK NCSC: Cyberattacks Impacting UK Retailers are a Wake-Up Call

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