Core Insights - Adidas has experienced a cybersecurity breach through a third-party customer service provider, exposing customer contact information but not payment or password data [1][2] - This incident reflects a broader trend where hackers target vendors to bypass stronger defenses of major brands [1][4] Company Summary - The breach involved the exposure of names, email addresses, and phone numbers of customers who contacted support, raising concerns about potential phishing and social engineering risks [2] - Adidas has a history of data security incidents, including a significant breach in 2018 affecting millions of U.S. customers, and similar incidents in Turkey and South Korea [3] Industry Summary - Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting third-party vendors due to their weaker security measures, with 30% of breaches in the previous year involving external service providers according to Verizon's 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report [4] - The Adidas breach serves as a warning for the retail sector, emphasizing the need for companies to prioritize third-party risk management as a critical aspect of their security strategy [5] Best Practices for Mitigating Third-Party Risk - Companies are encouraged to adopt a zero trust approach, treating every vendor as a potential risk and limiting data access to what is strictly necessary [7] - Regular incident simulations and continuous vendor assessments are recommended to enhance security measures and response plans [7] - Transparency and security metrics should be demanded from vendors, and executive performance should be tied to improvements in third-party risk management [7]