Christie’s CEO Guillaume Cerutti has used LinkedIn to share an update on the auction house’s efforts to recover from a “technology security incident” that has taken its website offline since Thursday.
The cyberattack prompted Christie’s to tell participants in this week’s New York art auctions, which had lots valued at around $850 million, to contact their local representatives by phone, but the company is going ahead with the sales as planned.
In Geneva, the Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva is still slated to take place on Wednesday 15 May. It is unclear whether the auction House will be accepting online bids for this sale.
Mr Cerutti has not answered questions about the nature of the security incident in his only comment on the matter so far.
Rumours circulating today say it was some form of ransomware attack where hackers demand a payment in order to hand back control of a company’s technology infrastructure.
Mr Cerutti’s LinkedIn post says: “We are managing this incident according to well-established practices, supported by experts in the field. We have made proactive decisions including taking our main website offline.”
A basic website has been created with links to the art, jewellery, and watch auction catalogues.
Mr Cerutti says clients for these sales will be able to bid securely in person, on the phone, or online via Christie’s Live.
However, a link in his LinkedIn post merely directs to the auction catalogue holding page, which continues to state: “We apologise that our full website is currently offline. We are looking to resolve this as soon as possible and regret any inconvenience”.
It gives a list of phone numbers to call at Christie’s offices around the world for help and registration including to register for online bidding, but Professional Jeweller‘s calls to the New York office went to a recorded message.
Major art sales, like those taking place in New York this week, may not be badly affected because bidders for multi-million dollar lots are normally in the sale room or have agents attending.
The same may be true for Michael Schumacher’s watches in the Rare Watches Geneva sale on Tuesday, although everybody planning to attend in person on Monday will need to have rearranged their plans to be there on Tuesday.
Mr Cerutti is short on explanation about the unresolved security incident, but is still promoting the sales with a jarring insouciance.
He points to information, catalogues, and content related to these sales on Christie’s YouTube channel and on social media, all of which is promotional material for the art, jewellery, and watches, as if the cyber security breach had not happened.
“Our presale exhibitions have been very busy, with great enthusiasm by our clients. In New York, the highlights include the Collection of Norman & Lyn Lear and the Rosa de la Cruz Collection, as well as masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh, Joan Mitchell, Ana Mendieta, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and many others. In Geneva, watches from the Property of Michael Schumacher and the Yellow Rose, a 202-carat unmounted coloured diamond from South Africa, have been widely admired. We are looking forward to welcoming our clients to our exhibitions and to registering them to participate in these auctions!” he highlights.
Professional Jeweller‘s sister title, WatchPro has directed questions regarding the cyberattack and Geneva sales to the auction House, which have been passed over to Christie’s global headquarters in New York. Christie’s has not yet responded.
