Harrods is latest retailer to be hit by cyber attack with ‘restricted internet’ after M&S plunged into chaos
LUXURY retailer Harrods is the latest victim of a cyber attack after both M&S and Co-op were plunged into chaos.
Shoppers have been warned the company “restricted internet access” after the attempted breach which left some customers struggling to pay.
As reported by , a Harrods spokesperson said: "We recently experienced attempts to gain unauthorised access to some of our systems.
"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.
"Currently, all sites including our Knightsbridge store, H beauty stores and airport stores remain open to welcome customers.
"Customers can also continue to shop via harrods.com.
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"We are not asking our customers to do anything differently at this point, and we will continue to provide updates as necessary."
This comes after the Co-op, which operates over 2,000 grocery stores and 800 funeral homes, closed part of its IT system following the attempted cyber attack yesterday.
This incident follows a similar attack targeted Marks & Spencer, causing significant disruption.
Co-op confirmed the attempted breach in a letter to staff on Tuesday, stating it had "taken proactive steps to keep our systems safe", according to .
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This included restricting access to certain systems, impacting some back-office functions and call centre services.
According to one source, the shutdown resulted in the closure of virtual desktops across the organisation, disrupting several behind-the-scenes operations reliant on head office support, such as stock updates.
However, the retailer has stressed that there is no indication that customer data has been compromised.
It added that stores, and funeral homes, remain open and operating as usual.
A spokesperson said: "We have recently experienced attempts to gain unauthorised access to some of our systems.
"As a result, we have taken proactive steps to keep our systems safe, which has resulted in a small impact to some of our back office and call centre services.
"We are working hard to reduce any disruption to our services and would like to thank our colleagues, members, partners and suppliers for their understanding during this period."
The Co-op did not say whether it had detected the attempts to attack its systems as a result of extra checks in the light of the M&S incident.
However, it did tell staff that "protecting our systems is of paramount importance", referring to "the recent issues surrounding M&S and the cyber-attack they have experienced".
Meanwhile, M&S has been experiencing significant disruption following a similar cyber incident.
It has been affecting contactless payments, click-and-collect services, and online orders across the UK.
The problems began on Saturday, April 19, with customers unable to collect purchases or return items.
By Monday, April 21, M&S acknowledged the attack, apologised for the inconvenience, and engaged cybersecurity experts while notifying the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
The criminals suspected to be behind the attack are known collectively as "Scattered Spider" - one of the most prolific cybergangs of the past 18 months.
The gang specialises in ransomware - a type of attack designed to steal information or access in exchange for a sum of money.
They have been gaining a reputation for targeting large, customer-facing organisations through social engineering and identity-focused tactics.
"While they are not as well-resourced as some nation-state actors or long-established ransomware syndicates, Scattered Spider is far from "small fry," Jamie Akhtar, CEO and Co-founder at CyberSmart, told The Sun.
"Scattered Spider, also tracked as UNC3944, has become one of the most active and disruptive threat actors in the last 18 months.
"This is a group known not for sheer technical sophistication, but for their ability to manipulate access, often by impersonating employees or exploiting multi-factor authentication systems."
As of yesterday, shoppers reported empty shelves in some stores, highlighting the ongoing fallout from the cyber attack.
Staple items including bananas, fish, and the iconic Colin the Caterpillar cakes and Percy Pigs have even become hard to find in some shops.
When questioned, staff suggested that the supply disruptions were connected to a cyber attack.
An M&S spokesperson said: "As part of our proactive management of the incident, we took a decision to take some of our systems temporarily offline.
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"As a result, we currently have pockets of limited availability in some stores.
"We are working hard to get availability back to normal across the estate."
What is a cyber attack?
A CYBER attack is any deliberate attempt to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorised access to computer systems, networks, or digital devices.
These attacks can target individuals, businesses, or even governments, and their motives can range from financial gain to political disruption.
Cyber attacks can take many forms, employing various techniques to achieve their malicious goals.
Common types of cyber attacks include:
- Malware: Malicious software designed to damage or gain control of a system. Examples include viruses, worms, ransomware, and spyware.
- Phishing: Deceptive attempts to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details, often through fake emails or websites.
- Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks: Flooding a network or server with traffic to overwhelm its resources and make it unavailable to legitimate users.
- SQL Injection: Exploiting vulnerabilities in website databases to gain unauthorised access to data.
- Ransomware: Malware that encrypts a victim's data and demands a ransom for its release.
- Social Engineering: Manipulating individuals into performing actions or divulging confidential information.
