Harrods, Co-op and Marks & Spencer: Harrods, iconic department store, latest British retailer hit by cyberattack

Harrods Latest British Retailer Hit by Cyberattack

London’s luxury department store Harrods has confirmed a cyberattack targeting its systems, marking the latest in a string of breaches affecting major UK retailers. The Qatar-owned retailer detected unauthorized access attempts earlier this week and responded by temporarily shutting down some systems to contain the threat.

While Harrods assured customers that payment data remained secure, the incident disrupted operations, with reports of failed transactions. In a statement, the company noted that its IT security team acted swiftly to mitigate risks, including restricting internet access at its locations.

The attack follows recent breaches at Marks & Spencer and Co-op, both of which suffered financial losses after shutting down IT systems to prevent further damage. Marks & Spencer has been unable to process online orders since last Friday. It remains unclear whether the three incidents are linked.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/01/nx-s1-5383911/harrods-department-store-cyberattack

Harrods cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/harrods

Co-op cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/the-co-op-group

Marks and Spencer cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/marks-and-spencer

"id": "HARTHEMAR1767683019",
"linkid": "harrods, the-co-op-group, marks-and-spencer",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "5/2025",
"severity": "60",
"impact": "2",
"explanation": "Attack limited on finance or reputation"

{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Luxury Department Store',
                        'location': 'London, UK',
                        'name': 'Harrods',
                        'type': 'Retailer'}],
 'customer_advisories': 'Public statement issued regarding the incident',
 'description': 'Harrods, the iconic luxury department store, has become the '
                'latest British retailer to fall victim to a cyberattack. The '
                'hack targeted the London-based retail giant, raising concerns '
                'over the vulnerability of high-end businesses to online '
                'security breaches. Some customers reported being unable to '
                'complete purchases, and the store temporarily shut down some '
                'systems after detecting the attack.',
 'impact': {'data_compromised': 'Customer payment data was not compromised',
            'operational_impact': 'Customers unable to complete purchases',
            'payment_information_risk': 'None',
            'systems_affected': 'Some systems shut down, restricted internet '
                                'access'},
 'references': [{'source': 'AP News'}],
 'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Public statement issued',
              'containment_measures': 'Restricted internet access at sites, '
                                      'shut down some systems',
              'incident_response_plan_activated': 'Proactive steps taken by IT '
                                                  'security team'},
 'title': 'Harrods Cyberattack',
 'type': 'Cyberattack'}