From retailers to financial giants, a growing number of companies are finding themselves under attack. Cybercriminals are no longer relying on complex tricks alone, they’re increasingly targeting people, and it’s proving alarmingly effective.
A growing wave of cyber attacks is putting some of America’s biggest companies on alert, as hackers continue to find new ways to break into corporate systems and steal sensitive information.
Recent attacks have affected businesses across retail, finance, law and technology, showing that no industry is completely safe. Security experts say many of the latest breaches have relied on social engineering, tricking employees into handing over passwords or security codes rather than exploiting technical flaws.
One of the latest companies to confirm an incident is Levi Strauss, which said a social engineering attack targeting three employees allowed an unauthorized person to gain access to parts of its systems.
The company said it responded quickly after discovering the breach and launched an investigation into what happened.
Researchers say “the attacks have become more organised in recent weeks”. According to data reviewed, hackers built fake websites and used spoofed phone numbers to impersonate company IT support teams, convincing employees to reveal login credentials and two-factor authentication codes. More than 200 companies were reportedly targeted over a five-week period.
Among the organisations caught up in the campaign were major financial firms, including Blackstone, KKR, Apollo Global Management and CME Group. It remains unclear how many of the attempted attacks were successful, although some companies are believed to have paid ransoms.
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The White House has also acknowledged the growing threat. Last month, it announced plans to improve coordination between AI developers and operators of critical infrastructure to help identify cybersecurity weaknesses, though few details have been released since.
For many businesses, the latest attacks are a reminder that expensive security software alone is no longer enough. As hackers increasingly target employees instead of computer systems, a single phone call or convincing email can sometimes do more damage than sophisticated malware. And with cybercriminals constantly changing their tactics, companies may find that staying one step ahead is becoming harder than ever.
