Can a jewel cause an international crisis? It is the risk of a hacker attack on one of the greatest jewelers, Graff. The Londoner Maison, founded by Laurence Graff and now run by his son, Francois Graff, was the victim of an attack by a (presumably Russian) gang of computer pirates. As in the now classic ransomware strategies, hackers took over Graff’s computer system and demanded a hefty ransom, according to the British newspaper Mail on Sunday.
Thus, the bandits have taken over Graff’s computers from a distance, not his expensive jewelry. Why, then, should there be a danger of an international crisis? It is easy to say: Graff sells jewelry to the powerful around the world, from British royalty to the rulers of many countries, as well as show business stars and entrepreneurs with large bank accounts. And the hackers, to prove they are not joking, have already released about 69,000 files with details on about 11,000 customers on the dark web. The files include details on the signings of former US President Donald Trump, as well as Oprah Winfrey, soccer star David Beckham and several Arab royalty. A problem, given that for jewelers the confidence in the confidentiality of their customers is equal only to that of a bank.
The documents disclosed include lists of customers, invoices, receipts and credit details: details that could be embarrassing for some, perhaps because the jewel purchased was not reserved for the legitimate spouse, or because shopping can reveal an unexpectedly prosperous standard of living.
