Adidas Korea has recently revealed a security incident that has compromised customer data, marking the second significant breach in the fashion sector impacting Korean consumers within a span of weeks.
The global sportswear brand confirmed that unauthorized access to consumer data occurred via a third-party customer service provider, affecting individuals who reached out to their service team.
On May 16, Adidas shared an update on its website stating that the breach involved customers who had interacted with their service center in 2024 or prior. The exposed data includes personal details such as names, email addresses, phone numbers, and in some cases, birth dates and physical addresses.
“Unauthorized access to some consumer data was confirmed through a third-party customer service provider,” Adidas stated in an official communication, according to BusinessKorea.
However, the company assured customers that sensitive financial data remained secure, clarifying, “No financial details, including passwords or payment-related information, were affected.”
Adidas has already notified all impacted Korean customers and is collaborating with cybersecurity experts to conduct a thorough investigation into the breach.
“We take this matter very seriously and have initiated a comprehensive investigation in cooperation with security experts,” said an Adidas spokesperson.
The company has also informed the appropriate Korean authorities and is reinforcing its security measures to prevent future breaches.
This breach follows a similar data security issue involving luxury brand Dior, which was reported just days before on May 13. Dior disclosed that unauthorized access to its customer data took place on January 26, although the breach wasn’t detected until May 7.
Dior’s breach raised alarms as it involved not only customer names, email addresses, and phone numbers, but also sensitive purchase history. Additionally, there was criticism that Dior failed to notify the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) promptly after discovering the breach.
These consecutive incidents point to a growing trend in the fashion industry, with international brands’ customer databases increasingly targeted by cybercriminals. Experts in cybersecurity suggest that the valuable consumer insights contained in retail databases make them appealing targets for attackers.
For customers impacted by these breaches, security experts advise staying alert for unusual account activities, being cautious about potential phishing attempts, and considering the update of passwords for services where the same credentials may be used.
