Christie’s says $850m auctions to go ahead as planned despite cyberattack

Sales to proceed despite failing to regain control of its website as staff and cybersecurity scramble to fix issue

The success of New York’s spring art auctions was in jeopardy Sunday, a day after auction house Christie’s confirmed that its website had been hacked, potentially shutting out some bidders on $850m worth of art work going up for bid this week.

Yet despite failing to regain control of its website, Christie’s said that its auctions – the most important of the year in the art world – would go ahead in person and by phone.