Adidas Discloses Customer Data Breach
Adidas has disclosed it's been hit by a cyber attack in which customers' personal information has been stolen, reports BBC. The sportswear giant said criminals had obtained "certain consumer data" which "mainly consists" of the contact information of people who had been in touch with its help desk. Adidas said passwords and credit card and other payment data were not compromised, and that the business "immediately took steps to contain the incident and launched a comprehensive investigation, collaborating with leading information security experts," according to a post on its website.
Total Retail's Take: Cybercrime strikes the retail industry again. This time, German sportwear brand Adidas has fallen victim and a third-party customer service provider is to blame. This cyber attack should serve as a stark reminder that large businesses with a vast network of third-party partners "are only as strong as their weakest link," says Siân John, chief technology officer at cybersecurity consulting firm NCC Group.
Organizations should regularly reassess their cyber security measures both in-house and throughout their supply chains to ensure they're not unknowingly leaving themselves open to attack, John says. "Even if they believe they are secure, with methods of attacks constantly changing, it's key that organizations are agile and review their measures on a regular basis to adapt to ongoing threats."
Any data breach creates some level of consumer distrust towards the hacked retailer, no matter its level of culpability. Piling onto already shaky consumer confidence and tariffs challenges, this cyber attack comes at a particularly unfortunate time for Adidas.
Kristina Stidham is the digital content director at Total Retail and sister brands Women in Retail Leadership Circle and Women Leading Travel & Hospitality at NAPCO Media. She is passionate about digital media and handles video, podcast and virtual event production for all brands. You can often find her at WIRLC, TR, WLT&H or industry events with her camera and podcasting equipment—or at home on Zoom—recording interviews with thought leaders and business executives.
Kristina holds a B.A. in Media Studies and Production from the Temple University Klein College of Media and Communication in Philadelphia. Go Owls! When she's not in the office, she loves to go on long walks, sing around the house, hangout with her family and two pet guinea pigs, and travel to new places.
