Key facts
- Hackers sent an "ASOS HACKED" notification to Asos app users on October 6.
- The notification claimed hackers had compromised the company's Snowflake instance.
- Hackers threatened to leak data if their demands were not met.
- Asos confirmed "unauthorised activity" involving third-party platforms used for customer communication.
- Some "basic personal information" may have been accessed.
- Asos has not yet notified the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) about the incident.
Online fashion retailer Asos is investigating "unauthorised activity" involving third-party platforms after hackers sent a notification to its app users claiming to have compromised the company's Snowflake instance. The message, which appeared on October 6, was addressed to Asos's data protection officer and IT teams, stating "We have fully compromised the Snowflake instance. Engage with us, or we will leak it," and linked to a Telegram channel.
Asos acknowledged the "unauthorised customer notification" on Tuesday afternoon, confirming that some "basic personal information" may have been accessed. The company has not yet informed the UK's data watchdog, the Information Commission's Office (ICO), about any breach. The notification was received by dozens of people across Australia, France, Sweden, and the Republic of Ireland, according to local reports.
Cyber security experts described the move as a "brazen" extortion attempt, with one noting that hackers turning an app into a "ransom note" is a rare tactic. Asos has taken "immediate action to restrict access to the notification platforms" and is working with specialists. Customers were advised not to engage with the notification and to change their passwords, be cautious of scam emails or texts, and avoid clicking on the notification's link.