Asos investigates unauthorized access to its communication platforms

A fraudulent notification reached customers

Asos is investigating unauthorized activity related to third-party platforms it uses to communicate with its customers. The incident came to light on October 6, 2026, when users received a notification from the app titled “Asos hacked,” containing an external link to Telegram and a claim by the senders that they had fully compromised a Snowflake environment.

The company asked customers to ignore the alert and not to click or interact with the link. Asos communicated that it had immediately restricted access to the notification platforms and was working with internal and external specialists, as well as the relevant authorities. According to the company, its website and app continued to function normally.

What data might be affected

Asos considers it possible that a third party accessed basic personal information, including names and contact details. With the information available during the investigation, the company does not believe that passwords or payment card data were compromised. The company also noted that it was still too early to quantify any potential commercial impact.

The definitive scope is not established. The attackers' claim of full access to a Snowflake instance has not been independently confirmed in the available information. Therefore, a distinction must be made between what the group claiming responsibility for the incident asserts and what Asos has communicated about its investigation. It has also not been publicly specified what data, if any, was accessed or extracted.

The use of a legitimate channel poses an additional risk

The episode raises questions not only about the possible exposure of data: the fraudulent message appeared in a channel that customers could identify as official. Asos has described the activity as linked to third-party platforms used for communications, but has not detailed the exact technical chain that allowed the notification to be sent, nor has it confirmed that the entire infrastructure mentioned by the attackers was compromised.

The company apologized for the unauthorized alert and recommended not following its links. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre offered assistance to Asos. In a statement cited by The Guardian, its Chief Executive, Richard Horne, noted that the unauthorized notification showed that cyber incidents do not only affect large companies but can also have broader repercussions for individuals.

Watch out for messages exploiting the incident

The publication of an incident can serve as a pretext for subsequent impersonation attempts. Experts cited in the coverage warned that emails, SMS, or messages might circulate appearing to offer information about the breach, request a password change, or ask for data to review an order or process a refund. This is a warning about a possible risk, not a confirmation that such campaigns have already occurred.

The investigation continues, and the available information does not allow determining the final scope of access or confirming the group's allegations. Asos indicated that it would provide new updates if the situation changed.