In a troubling development for one of the world's most recognized sportswear brands, Adidas has confirmed a data breach following a cyberattack on a third-party customer service provider. The breach has raised fresh concerns over consumer data security and the risks tied to outsourcing digital services.

What Happened?

The German sportswear giant disclosed that unauthorized actors accessed consumer information through a partner handling customer service operation. While Adidas did not name the affected provider or specify how the breach was executed, the company assured customers that sensitive information—such as passwords and payment data—remained uncompromised. The exposed data reportedly includes customer contact details.

Figure 1.Hack of Customer Service Provider.

A Swift Response

Upon discovering the incident, Adidas says it acted quickly to contain the breach. The company launched a full-scale investigation and brought in leading cybersecurity experts to assess the scope of the attack and mitigate further risks. Authorities have been notified, and Adidas has begun informing potentially impacted customers in line with global data protection laws. Figure 1 shows the Hack of Customer Service Provider.

A Pattern of Breaches

This incident follows earlier disclosures from Adidas this month, involving customer data leaks in Turkey and South Korea. In those cases, customers who contacted Adidas customer service in or before 2024 had their personal information, such as names, phone numbers, birthdates, and addresses, exposed.

Such repeated incidents are prompting experts to question the cybersecurity frameworks not only of Adidas but of global companies increasingly dependent on third-party vendors for essential services.

Looking Ahead

In a statement, Adidas reaffirmed its commitment to data privacy: “We remain fully committed to protecting the privacy and security of our consumers and sincerely regret any inconvenience or concern caused by this incident [1].”

Despite the assurances, many consumers and industry analysts are calling for greater transparency, especially regarding how many individuals were affected and whether Adidas’s own infrastructure was compromised.

With cyberattacks on the rise across all sectors, this latest breach serves as a stark reminder: even the most trusted global brands are vulnerable—and the weakest link may lie outside their own walls.

Reference:

1. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/adidas-warns-of-data-breach-after-customer-service-provider-hack/

Cite this article:

Keerthana S (2025), Adidas Issues Warning About Data Breach Following Hack of Customer Service Provider, AnaTechMaz, pp.180