Asos investigates possible cyberattack after customers receive push notification about Snowflake data breach Read the latest security updates
Global fashion retailer Asos has launched an emergency investigation after a worrying incident in which thousands of users of its mobile app received push notifications saying the company’s databases had been completely hacked. The chilling message sent Asos shares tumbling nearly 12 per cent on the London Stock Exchange and caused immediate panic among consumers.
The rogue notification, simply titled “Asos hacked”, included a link to a Telegram messaging channel. The message was aimed at the company’s internal corporate teams, reading: “Dear Asos DPO and IT, we have fully compromised the Snowflake instance. Asos website and mobile application were fully working as of Tuesday morning despite the aggressive extortion attempt, with security teams left to determine the real extent of the alleged system breach.
Understanding the infrastructure involved helps put the severity of the threat into perspective. Snowflake is a popular cloud database platform where large retailers store sensitive customer data. It keeps records of transactions, demographics and individual customer metrics (eg size of clothing). Crucially, the platform also controls the push notification systems, which attackers appear to have hijacked to broadcast their ransom demand.
Sending a ransom demand directly to consumer devices is a serious public extortion tactic, cybersecurity experts say, designed to put pressure on the target business to engage in a quick, unverified negotiation. The full details of the Asos incident are not known, but security analysts warn that the immediate threat to consumers is follow on phishing attacks. Cybercriminals take advantage of the panic generated by high-profile retail breaches to prey on concerned shoppers.
Shoppers are being urged to be extra vigilant over the next few weeks. Customers were asked to ignore any unsolicited emails or texts claiming to be from Asos customer support asking for password resets, payment confirmations or order checks. The unfolding situation is a worrying trend in the retail industry and brings to mind severe cyber incidents that have disrupted operations at major British retailers including Marks & Spencer and the Co-op in the past year.