Cartier, the luxury jewelry brand under Richemont, notified customers about a recent hack that compromised client information, as confirmed by an email reviewed by Reuters on Tuesday.
This incident adds to a growing list of cyberattacks targeting various companies, including retailers like Marks & Spencer and Victoria’s Secret, who have faced similar issues.
Cartier reported that “an unauthorized party has gained temporary access to our system.” Their products, which include watches, necklaces, and bracelets, are favored by celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Angelina Jolie, and Michelle Obama.
The company disclosed that the breach involved “limited client information,” including names, email addresses, and countries. However, no passwords, credit card numbers, or banking details were taken.
In response, Cartier has enhanced its protective measures, informed relevant authorities, and is collaborating with a leading external cybersecurity expert.
Requests for comment from Cartier went unanswered.
Julius Cerniauskas, the CEO of Web Intelligence Firm Oxylabs, remarked that these breaches highlight that no brand is truly secure against cyber threats.
“Attackers are becoming more sophisticated, focusing on brands that possess valuable customer data beyond just credit card information,” he noted.
Additionally, Victoria’s Secret disclosed that security issues had resulted in a temporary website closure for several days last week due to IT system problems.
While Victoria’s Secret stated that the breach wouldn’t impact its first-quarter financial results significantly, it did caution that the related costs might affect the second quarter.
Last month, Marks & Spencer reported that it had faced “very sophisticated and targeted” cyberattacks, which are projected to lead to profits losses of about £300 million ($455 million).
The North Face, a VF Corporation brand, also communicated with some customers in April, revealing a small attack had been detected.
Reports revealed that the company would experiment with usernames and passwords acquired from another breach, anticipating that hackers might attempt “credential stuffing” by reusing these credentials across multiple accounts, according to the BBC.
VF Corp did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
In related news, Harrods, a prestigious London department store, indicated last month that hackers attempted to infiltrate its system following the incident involving Marks & Spencer and other retail groups.
