Lauren Wills-Dixon quoted in Financial Times discussing Harrods cyber attack
Thursday 8th May 2025
Head of privacy, Lauren Wills-Dixon has been quoted by the Financial Times in its coverage of the recent cyber attack on luxury retailer Harrods.
The attack was first reported on Thursday 1 May and coincides with similar attacks on other retailers.
Harrods said all its stores, including its flagship store in Knightsbridge, remained open, and customers were able to purchase items online.
The IT security team at Harrods said it had fended off attempts by cyber criminals to gain access to some systems and restricted internet access in some of its stores and offices.
Lauren commented: “Harrods’ initial statement suggests that they have a robust cyber security plan in place.
“The cyber attack has not impacted sales and the fact that customers are not being asked to do anything differently suggests that data has not been breached. However, this incident – and the similar threats faced by Co-op and M&S this week – highlight the importance of such cyber security measures, and indeed the risk to retailers in an increasingly digital world.”
Why retailers need to prioritise digital security
The cyber attack highlighted the vulnerability amongst retailers to increasingly enterprising cyber criminals alongside the need to prioritise digital security.
“Retailers are among the most common targets for cyber attacks because of the large amounts of customer data they hold, and the increased use of technology by the industry to reduce overheads and streamline operations has raised the risk even further,” Lauren said.
Maintaining resilience
When it comes to maintaining a robust cyber security plan, this is now a non-negotiable for businesses.
Lauren stressed, “In this new world, it’s not ‘if’ but ‘when’ a cyber-attack will happen. It’s absolutely critical that retailers take legal, regulatory and best practice measures to build and maintain cyber resilience.”
You can read Lauren’s comments alongside an analysis of the Harrods cyber attack and the implications for retailers online in the Financial Times here (subscription required).
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