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Harrods has been forced to restrict the internet at its shops after cyber attackers targeted the upmarket retailer.
The company confirmed it had become the latest retailer to be targeted by hackers, following similar attacks on Marks & Spencer and the Co-op over the last fortnight.
Harrods said on Thursday it was battling an attempted attack, with reports suggesting some customers have been unable to pay for purchases.
A spokesman for Harrods 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.”
The spokesman said all its shops were still open, including those in airports, and said customers could continue to shop on its website.
They added: “We are not asking our customers to do anything differently at this point, and we will continue to provide updates as necessary.”
Wave of cyber crime
It comes amid a wave of IT disruption across some of Britain’s best known retailers. High street stores have been warned by the National Cyber Security Centre to update their computer security amid concerns that hackers are specifically targeting UK retailers.
On Thursday, the Telegraph revealed that Marks & Spencer has been racing to rebuild, repair and replace IT systems after a ransomware attack that hit almost a fortnight ago.
The Co-op, meanwhile, was forced to turn off some of its computer systems following an attempted hack just days after Marks & Spencer was plunged into chaos.
It said it had experienced “attempts to gain unauthorised access to some of our systems”, adding: “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.”
Other major retail names have been seeking to prevent any cyber breach. Asda is understood to have also forced through an update of its IT systems on Thursday to make sure all laptops are running the latest software.
It told staff it was taking the step given “recent security threats in the retail sector”.
Dr Richard Horne, chief executive of the Government’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said the NCSC “continues to work closely with organisations that have reported incidents to us to fully understand the nature of these attacks and to provide expert advice to the wider sector based on the threat picture”.
He added: “These incidents should act as a wake-up call to all organisations. I urge leaders to follow the advice on the NCSC website to ensure they have appropriate measures in place to help prevent attacks and respond and recover effectively.”