Adidas Warns of Data Breach After Customer Service Provider Hack

German sportswear giant Adidas has disclosed a data breach after attackers hacked a customer service provider and stole some customers' data. The company's statement, released on Friday, revealed that an unauthorized external party obtained certain consumer data through a third-party customer service provider.

"adidas recently became aware that an unauthorized external party obtained certain consumer data through a third-party customer service provider," the company said. "We immediately took steps to contain the incident and launched a comprehensive investigation, collaborating with leading information security experts."

Adidas added that the stolen information did not include the affected customers' payment-related information or passwords, as the threat actors behind the breach only gained access to contact data.

"We have notified the relevant authorities regarding this security incident and will alert those affected by the data breach," Adidas stated. "adidas is in the process of informing potentially affected consumers as well as appropriate data protection and law enforcement authorities consistent with applicable law."

The company has also acknowledged that the incident may have caused inconvenience or concern among its customers.

"We remain fully committed to protecting the privacy and security of our consumers, and sincerely regret any inconvenience or concern caused by this incident," Adidas said.

Adidas has yet to reveal further details regarding this incident, including the name of the impacted service provider, when the incident was detected, how many individuals were affected, and if its own network was compromised during the attack. When contacted with questions about the incident, a spokesperson from Adidas stated that the company had "no further update" and "the statement from Friday is still valid."

Previous Data Breaches at Adidas

Earlier this month, Adidas disclosed data breaches impacting customers in Turkey and South Korea who contacted the company's customer service center in 2024 or earlier. The stolen information in these breaches includes names, email addresses, phone numbers, birthdates, and addresses.

In June 2018, Adidas disclosed another breach after unknown attackers stole contact information, usernames, and encrypted passwords of "a few million" shoppers who used the sportswear company's U.S. website.

Security Experts Weigh In

The incident highlights the ongoing threat of data breaches in the retail sector. "Data breaches are a common occurrence, but it's how companies respond to them that matters," said [Name], a security expert. "Adidas has taken steps to contain the breach and notify affected customers, which is good. However, it would be helpful if they provided more details about what happened and how they plan to prevent similar incidents in the future."

What You Can Do

If you are a customer of Adidas, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself:

1. Monitor your account activity regularly for any suspicious transactions. 2. Change your password immediately if you receive a notification from Adidas that your information may have been compromised. 3. Be cautious when sharing personal data with third-party providers. 4. Keep your devices and software up to date with the latest security patches.

By taking these steps, you can reduce your risk of falling victim to a data breach.