Levi Strauss Reports Data Theft Following Cyberattack

Clothing company Levi Strauss has disclosed a cyberattack in which unknown attackers used social engineering to steal corporate data.

In a filing submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on August 7, Levi Strauss stated that an unauthorized third party gained access to company-issued computers belonging to three employees through social engineering techniques. According to preliminary findings from the investigation launched in response, certain corporate information was accessed and stolen in the process.

Levi Strauss believes that its own rapid response successfully contained and ended the unauthorized access, and emphasizes that no customer data was affected. The company states that business operations were not interrupted at any point as a result of the incident, and that, based on the investigation to date, it does not expect any material impact on its business or financial position. Levi Strauss brought in external security experts to help investigate; the investigation is ongoing.Levi Strauss employs around 19,000 people worldwide, generates annual revenue of 6.3 billion US dollars, and operates at least 3,300 of its own stores; the company is best known for its 501 jeans.

Possible Link Between Levi Strauss and a Larger Vishing Campaign

No actor has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. However, several media outlets, including Reuters, have drawn a possible connection to the group known as UNC6671, which Google’s Threat Intelligence Group recently linked to a broader wave of voice phishing attacks against hundreds of organizations. According to reports, this group operates by contacting employees on their personal mobile phones, posing as internal IT support, and, under the pretext of an urgent security migration, directing them to cloned login pages that capture credentials and two-factor codes in real time.

Once access is obtained, the attackers register their own devices for two-factor authentication and remove the victims’ legitimate devices. According to Reuters, more than 200 companies were hit by comparable, phone-based social engineering attacks over a period of around five weeks. Holders of a Levi’s customer account are advised to monitor their accounts for suspicious activity for the time being and to promptly report any irregularities to the company.

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