From Icons to Intrusion Detection: Harrods’ Cybersecurity Transformation
by Paul Davies, CISO at Harrods
During BE-CEC, Belgium's Cybersecurity Executives Conference, Paul Davies took the audience on a journey that few would expect from a luxury retail brand. Harrods—long known for opulence and elegance—has quietly undergone one of the most thorough cybersecurity evolutions in the retail sector. From helicopters in warehouses to nation-grade red team simulations, this transformation reveals what it truly takes to secure a multifaceted global enterprise in today’s threat landscape.
Beyond the Knightsbridge Store: The Harrods Enterprise
Davies began by dismantling the common image of Harrods as just a London department store. The brand's digital and physical footprint spans:
With this level of operational diversity comes an equally complex cybersecurity mandate—ranging from protecting quasi-medical appointment data to complying with anti-money laundering regulations.
“It’s not an ad,” Paul quipped, “It’s to show the complexity—and the stakes—of securing a business like Harrods.”
The Wake-Up Call: Red Team Reality Check
The turning point came eight years ago when Harrods’ CEO—prompted by rising cyber risks—called for a bold assessment: a covert red team engagement by PwC. The results were sobering. The engagement was terminated prematurely not because it failed, but because PwC had already achieved its objectives far faster than anticipated.
Leadership was blindsided. The CIO and COO only learned of the test when summoned to the boardroom for a debrief. Compliance was being mistaken for security, with a heavy focus on PCI DSS but minimal real-time detection or response capabilities.
The Rebuild: Security from the Ground Up
Paul Davies joined in the aftermath of this revelation, inheriting both a blueprint for change and executive support. His initial focus was clear and tactical:
But Paul emphasized that deploying tools wasn’t enough—it was how they were implemented and governed that truly mattered.
Five Principles of Security That Works
Paul Davies shared five foundational principles that guided Harrods’ shift from reactive to resilient:
By integrating these principles into project governance, infrastructure, and procurement, Harrods moved from firefighting to foresight.
“Bad security feels like living in a building that’s constantly on fire. If that sounds familiar, rethink your principles.”
From Tools to Assurance: Continuous Testing and Coverage
Today, Harrods emphasizes operational assurance over novelty:
This proactive approach—known as Continuous Threat and Exposure Management—ensures Harrods isn't merely secure on paper, but resilient in practice.
“It’s misconfigurations that bite you,” Paul noted. “The stuff scanners won’t find. That’s why we test, and retest, and retest again.”
Closing Thought: Eden, with Firewalls
Paul ended on a light note: “I thought of saying I worked in the Garden of Eden—Harrods is a beautiful place. But at least now, it’s a secure place too.”
It was a fitting close to a compelling narrative. Harrods’ journey is a masterclass in what happens when cybersecurity is treated not as an IT problem, but as a core business priority. From reactive posture to embedded resilience, Harrods has shown that even legacy luxury can become a digital stronghold.