Cyber Awareness
ASOS Users Receive Threatening Push Notification Amid Alleged Hack
A push notification sent to ASOS app users on Tuesday morning warned that the company’s systems had been compromised. The message, allegedly from cyber attackers, read: "Dear Asos DPO and IT, we have fully compromised the Snowflake instance. Engage with us, or we will leak it," and included a link to a Telegram chat. DPO refers to the data protection officer responsible for safeguarding customer information, and Snowflake is an online data platform used by many companies.
ASOS has not yet responded to a request for comment and has not posted about the notification or a possible cyber‑attack on its social media accounts. It is unclear how many customers received the message, but it appears to have reached a large number of the app’s users. The retailer serves 17 million customers each year in more than 150 countries, down slightly from 19.7 million shoppers in 2024. ASOS reported revenues of £2.5 billion in 2025, down from £2.9 billion the year before, and an operating loss of £212 million last year.
Cybersecurity expert Junade Ali, fellow at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, advised customers to protect their accounts and be wary of scams. "This is yet another example of criminal hackers using data for extortion purposes," he said. He urged users to use strong, unique passwords, enable two‑factor authentication where possible, back up important data, and avoid clicking on the notification or the Telegram link.
The ASOS website and app appear to be functioning normally, and no information about the attack has been posted on the site. The company’s shares fell 12.5 % since 10 a.m. on the day the notification was sent, losing about £70 million in market value. Despite the plunge, ASOS shares remain roughly 56 % higher than their year‑start level.
ESET global cyber‑security adviser Jake Moore described the hack as "one of the most visible" in history. He noted that the attackers’ ability to send a push notification suggests they have accessed some ASOS systems, but it does not confirm the extent of the breach. He warned users not to engage with the notification or the Telegram link.
The notification claims the attackers have "fully compromised the Snowflake instance," but it is not yet known whether this claim is true. Snowflake, a cloud data platform with more than 12 000 customers, offers storage and analysis services and is used by brands such as the New York Stock Exchange and OpenAI. The term "instance" refers to a specific software deployment.
ASOS’s share price has dropped around 5 % in the half hour since the notification was sent and continues to fall.