Asos says customer data may have been accessed after ‘unauthorised activity’

As ASOS announces that it is investigating “unauthorised activity” involving a third-party platform after customers were sent a notification saying the online retailer had been hacked, Beverley Griffiths, senior lecturer in security and resilience at Bucks New University says that organisations need to be prepared to respond to incidents of this nature effectively.

She said: “Our immediate concern should be for any customers who may be affected or worried by reports of a cyber incident. Receiving an alert suggesting a major compromise can understandably cause anxiety and uncertainty.

“Incidents such as this highlight that cyber security is no longer simply about preventing attacks. Organisations need to be prepared to detect suspicious activity quickly, respond effectively and recover from incidents while protecting customers and maintaining trust.

“No organisation can claim to be completely immune from cyber threats, particularly as attackers continue to evolve their methods. The real test of cyber resilience is therefore how well an organisation is prepared to respond when something does go wrong.

“With major retailers increasingly finding themselves in the crosshairs of cyber attackers, continued investment in cyber security, monitoring and resilience is essential.”