Graff, a British multinational jeweler based in London, has reportedly been the victim of a huge 'virtual burglary' after being attacked by cybercriminals. It is claimed that the database of this exclusive jewelry firm includes the personal client details of many of the world's richest leaders, billionaire business tycoons, and Hollywood A-listers. Hackers have stolen all these details.
The news was first reported by the Daily Mail. As many as 69,000 confidential documents were reportedly leaked by the cyber criminals on to the dark web earlier this month. The dark web is the hidden collective of internet sites only accessible by a specialized web browser. Files containing personal details of Donald and Melania Trump, David Beckham, Sir Philip Green, and Oprah Winfrey, are believed to be among these documents that were leaked.
Who's Who of Some of the World's Richest People Under the Radar
Reports say around 600 British customers are among the victims so far, including Formula One heiress Tamara Ecclestone and former footballer Frank Lampard. Celebrities like Samuel L Jackson, Tom Hanks, Alec Baldwin and Tony Bennett also feature in this list.
Britain's wealthiest man Sir Len Blavatnik, financier George Soros, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and many more are among the rich and famous who have been targeted during the online raid at Graff.
Russian Gang Behind the Online Raid
Criminals from notorious Russian hacking gang Conti are suspected to be behind the data theft. It is believed they are demanding a ransom amounting to tens of millions. Conti has been one of the most aggressive and greediest ransomware operations over the past two years and continues to victimize many large companies as well as government, law enforcement agencies and emergency medical services.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a United States federal agency and the FBI have observed over 400 attacks using Conti ransomware against U.S. and international organizations to steal files, encrypt servers and workstations, and demand a ransom payment to return stolen sensitive data. According to the experts, the gang will ask for their payment in untraceable crypto-currency like Bitcoin, or even jewels.
In this case, the ruthless gang has reportedly claimed that the information revealed online to date, on around 11,000 Graff clients, represents just one per cent of what they stole. They will further release much more sensitive and confidential information if the ransom is not paid.
It is believed that stolen data include not only client lists, but credit notes and receipts. It could bring major embarrassment to anybody who might have purchased items for a secret lover, for example, or even taken a bribe of jewelry, reported the Daily Mail.
What's the Response of Graff?
Graff operations comprise the design, manufacture and retail distribution of jewelry and watches. "Regrettably we, in common with a number of other businesses, have recently been the target of a sophisticated – though limited – cyber attack by professional and determined criminals," a spokesperson for Graff told Daily Mail.
He continued, "We were alerted to their intrusive activity by our security systems, allowing us to react swiftly and shut down our network. We notified, and have been working with, the relevant law enforcement agencies and the ICO."
