Nike probes suspected cyberattack after hacker group claims massive data leak

Nike has launched an internal investigation into a potential cybersecurity breach after a hacking group known for large-scale attacks claimed it had leaked a massive volume of the company’s data.

In a statement issued on Monday, the US-based sportswear giant said it was treating the matter with urgency. “We take consumer privacy and data protection extremely seriously,” Nike said, adding that it is actively assessing what it described as a potential cybersecurity incident. The company did not share further details on the nature or scale of the breach.

Also read: EU opens probe into Elon Musk’s X over Grok sexual deepfake images

The ransomware group, which operates under the name World Leaks, alleged on its website that it had published nearly 1.4 terabytes of data linked to Nike’s business operations. However, the claim could not be independently verified, and the data was not immediately accessible. Efforts to establish direct contact with the group were unsuccessful.

Nike declined to comment on whether customer or partner data had been compromised, or if any ransom demands were made or paid. It also remains unclear whether the incident could have implications for the brand’s major wholesale partners, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Macy’s, and JD Sports. Requests for comment from these retailers either went unanswered or were met with no immediate response.

Also read: Meta to test premium subscriptions across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp

The incident comes at a sensitive time for Nike, which has been grappling with slowing growth and intensifying competition from smaller, fast-growing sportswear brands. Despite the cybersecurity concerns, Nike’s shares were largely unchanged in late morning trading on Monday, suggesting investors are waiting for more clarity on the situation.

Corporate cyberattacks have become increasingly disruptive and expensive in recent years. High-profile breaches at companies such as MGM Resorts, Clorox, and UnitedHealth Group have highlighted the financial and operational risks involved. In some cases, attacks have resulted in losses running into hundreds of millions of dollars due to system shutdowns, lost sales, and recovery costs.

As Nike’s investigation continues, cybersecurity experts say companies of its scale are frequent targets due to the vast amount of commercial and consumer data they hold. The full impact of the alleged breach, if confirmed, is expected to become clearer in the coming days.