# Louis Vuitton UK Latest Retailer Hit by Data Breach

The British outpost of luxury brand giant LVMH has become the latest UK retailer to suffer a serious security breach, leaving customers on high alert after personally identifiable information (PII) was compromised.

Last week, the fashion giant notified its customers that their data may have been compromised in the breach, which occurred on July 2. The notification revealed that PII including first and second name, gender, country, phone number, email, postal address, date of birth, purchases, and preference data were potentially exposed.

“Given the nature of the data involved, we warmly recommend that you remain vigilant against any unsolicited communication or other suspicious correspondence, including emails, phone calls or text messages,” the message noted. “While we have no evidence that your data has been misused to date, phishing attempts, fraud attempts, or unauthorized use of your information may occur.”

The firm has notified the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and this news comes just a week after Louis Vuitton disclosed that its Korean operations had been targeted by hackers, leading to the compromise of some personal data. Two other LVMH brands, Christian Dior Couture and Tiffany, have also suffered customer data breaches this year. Both have been the subject of a government investigation since May.

Louis Vuitton is the latest in a long line of UK retailers hit by cyber-attacks. Members of the Scattered Spider collective were blamed for those against M&S and the Co-op, although Harrods and Adidas have also been targeted. Last week, four individuals were arrested in connection with attacks on Marks & Spencer (M&S), Co-op and Harrods.

Experts warn that while no financial information was taken in the Louis Vuitton attack, there are still significant risks for the company and its customers. Thomas Richards, infrastructure security practice director at Black Duck, argued that malicious emails could be sent to the victims pretending to be LV in an attempt to gain login or financial information.

“Customers should be on alert for any suspicious and sudden emails or calls directing them to take immediate action or face a negative consequence. The pattern of other LVMH regionals being compromised in similar ways might be indicative of a larger problem. The breach might not be fully contained, or these business units use similar technology and systems that have a vulnerability in it,” he said.

LVMH should conduct an organization-wide security assessment to find out the root cause of the issue and implement changes to prevent further breaches, Richards added. This move would help ensure that the company takes all necessary steps to protect its customers' sensitive information and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.