The personal data of Adidas AG customers who reached out for support services became exposed after a cyberattack while numerous major consumer brands experienced digital breaches.
The German sportswear company stated that customer contact information from help desk interactions constitutes the main data breach. Adidas emphasized that payment card information along with password data remained unaffected during the breach.
The company issued an official announcement through its website which stated they deeply regret any distress or problems that resulted from this incident. The company remains deeply dedicated to protecting the privacy and security of its consumer base.
The third-party customer service provider experienced a breach according to Adidas which the company quickly contained through its external cybersecurity investigations. The notification process for affected users and authorities follows all data protection regulations.
The customer exposure remains unknown to the company although experts believe the absence of financial information reduces the potential harm. Experts warn people who were affected to remain alert because phishing scams and identity theft attempts are likely to occur.
Lisa Barber from U.K. consumer group Which? reports that Adidas customers now face the risk of fraudsters pretending to be representatives of the company. Customers need clear guidance together with support from Adidas during this situation.
Major retailers experience increasing cyber incidents which form part of a growing trend in the retail sector. The United Kingdom has seen two major hacking incidents affect British companies Marks & Spencer and the Co-op throughout this year. Police investigations suggest “Scattered Spider” as a possible group behind these attacks yet there is no indication they were involved in the Adidas breach.
Adidas revealed data breaches affecting its Turkish and South Korean subsidiaries which indicate widespread vulnerabilities exist within its worldwide IT system.
The rising value of consumer data alongside increasing cyberattacks puts retailers under continuous pressure to improve their digital protection systems. The recent incident damages Adidas at a critical period as the company works to win back trust from consumers while it stabilizes its brand identity after an unstable year.
