Luxury London department store Harrods has refused to engage with hackers who contacted the company after a cyber attack involving 430,000 customer records.
It is the second time this year that the Knightsbridge store has been targeted by cyber criminals.
Victims are advised by security services not to pay ransoms to hackers trying to blackmail a company by threatening to release sensitive data.
Harrods warned its e-commerce customers on Friday information, such as names and contact details, were taken after one of its third-party provider systems had been compromised.
The breach is unconnected to attempts to gain unauthorised access to Harrods systems earlier in the year, the company said.
A Harrods statement read: “We have received communications from the threat actor and will not be engaging with them.”
It said the data was limited to basic personal identifiers and did not include account passwords or payment details.
“Affected customer records may also have labels related to marketing and services delivered by Harrods,” it said. “These labels may include tier level or affiliation to a Harrods co-branded card, although this information is unlikely to be interpreted accurately by an unauthorised third party.
“We would like to reiterate that no payment details or order history information has been accessed and the impacted personal data remains limited to basic personal identifiers as advised previously.
“It is important to note that the information was taken from a third-party provider and is unconnected to attempts to gain unauthorised access to some Harrods systems earlier this year.”
After the attack, which emerged on Friday, Harrods said the third party had confirmed the “isolated” incident had been contained.
In May, Harrods reacted to an attempted breach by restricting internet access across its sites in a precautionary measure.
In July, two men aged 19, a 17 year-old boy and a 20-year-old woman who were arrested over suspected involvement in cyber attacks against Marks & Spencer, the Co-op and Harrods, were bailed pending further inquiries.
They were arrested on suspicion of blackmail, money laundering, offences linked to the Computer Misuse Act, and participating in the activities of an organised crime group, the National Crime Agency said.
The UK government stepped in with a rescue plan after Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) was faced with a shutdown following a mass cyber attack.
The government will underwrite a £1.5 billion ($2.02 billion) loan guarantee to the car maker, which has been forced to suspend production at its UK factories for several weeks after being targeted by hackers.
The shutdown is expected to last until October 1 at the earliest, leaving the company’s suppliers in limbo.
The loan, from a commercial bank, is expected to provide those suppliers with some certainty.
JLR’s travails came on the heels of a cyber crime spring and summer in which it was joined by retailers Marks & Spencer and Harrods and the supermarket chain Co-op in suffering devastating business interruptions.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh234,000 - Dh329,000
On sale: now
Bournemouth 0
Manchester United 2
Smalling (28'), Lukaku (70')
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
