One of the most impressive and alarming data leaks of recent years has shocked high sewing and luxurious customers.
Luxurious fashion is no longer immune. , Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen – names associated with sophisticated taste and high prices – are at the center of a huge cyberattack, reveals the BBC.
The luxurious fashion in the target of Shiny Hunters
In their hands, personal information was found, from their email addresses to the amount each of them spent in the stores. This not only affects the image of brands, but it endangers the safety of people who often manage large sums of money.
Behind the attack is the infamous Shiny Hunters team, known in the world community of cyber security. The hacker claims to have access to 7.4 million unique email addresses connected to Kering customers – the French group that controls the three fashion brands.
Hacker claims to have access to 7.4 million unique email addresses connected to Kering customers
According to BBC sources, the violation took place in April, while the first contacts with Kering took place in June, with a request for a ranscoin.
The company categorically denies it, insisting that there was no negotiation.
Data that reveal the lifestyle
The sample analysis of the stolen files revealed more than names and email: the “Total Sales” field shows in detail how much money each customer has spent. Some seem to have spent $ 10,000 to $ 86,000 in stores.
For cyber security experts, this information is extremely dangerous: it creates a high -risk map, where wealthy customers can be targeted by secondary attacks, blackmail or deception.
Kering’s official reaction
The company confirmed the incident, stating that they did not leak bank data, card numbers or government documents.
According to a spokesman’s announcement, Kering “has identified unauthorized access to limited volume of data” and has since shielded its systems.
At the same time, he informed the competent European and international authorities, while personally alerted customers who were influenced – without revealing how many they are. The company has no legal obligation to make a public announcement, as long as it communicates with the victims, which explains its “silence” so far.
A broader ‘pandemic’ in the luxury area
Cyberattack is not an isolated incident.
Recently, houses such as Cartier and Louis Vuitton have admitted that they were victims of corresponding violations.
Google has even ranked Shiny Hunters in a special threat called UNC6040, accusing them of misleading workers to access internal systems such as salesforce.
The time coincidence shows that fashion houses are on a new “war front”, this time not on catwalks but in the invisible cyberspace world.
What does it mean for the image of brands
Gucci, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen are not only selling clothes, but a whole lifestyle based on trust and exclusivity.
Customer data leakage – many of whom are surnames or particularly wealthy – causes a blow that is difficult to restore.
Analysts in the industry note that, in addition to the financial cost of rehabilitation, the damage to corporate reputation may prove even more serious, especially in a place where discretion is considered a privilege.
What to do consumers
The National Cyber Security Service and International Organizations propose a series of measures:
- Instant passwords to all accounts linked to chips
- Acting Double Establishment Factor (2FA) where available
- Creating strong codes with three random words and avoiding reuse
- Caution to suspicious emails, messages or calls requesting personal data
- In case of doubt for a bank call, close the line and call you the card number or the official website
A message that surpasses fashion
The case reminds us that no industry, as powerful or luxurious, is unaffected by the cyber war. Digitizing customer experience – from online shopping to personalized services – makes target companies.
As long as luxury meets technology, the question is not whether there will be the next attack, but when. And then, the price may not only be measured in dollars, but in lost trust.
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