ASOS App Users Receive Push Notifications Sent by Hackers
Dozens of UK ASOS app users received strange push notifications from a hacking group called Xuanye Group demanding a ransom.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- ASOS app users across the UK received unauthorized pop-up push notifications
- The messages claimed the Snowflake data instance was compromised in an extortion attempt
- Messages were sent directly to customer phone screens but addressed to ASOS DPO and IT
- A newly created Telegram group calling itself Xuanye Group claimed responsibility
Numerous customers of the popular fashion and beauty retailer ASOS in the UK experienced unexpected and alarming pop-up notifications on their mobile devices. The alerts appeared to originate directly from the company's official mobile application, but security experts and details within the messages indicate they were sent by malicious hackers attempting to extort the firm.
Dozens of bewildered users reached out after noticing the strange alerts flashing across their phone screens. Although the extortion demands were beamed directly to consumer devices, the text itself was formally addressed to the data protection officer (DPO) and IT department of ASOS, warning them of an alleged major security breach.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The tactic of bypassing traditional private negotiation channels to broadcast an extortion demand directly through consumer mobile push notifications represents an aggressive escalation in cybercrime tactics. By weaponizing customer-facing apps, threat actors aim to bypass corporate silence and manufacture immediate public pressure on executive leadership, leveraging consumer confusion to force a rapid response.
"Dear ASOS DPO and IT, we have fully compromised the Snowflake instance. Engage with us, or we will leak it"
Xuanye Group
ASOS did not immediately issue a public response to inquiries regarding the security incident. Meanwhile, confused customers flooded social media platforms to share screenshots and question the meaning of the notifications, highlighting the implicit trust consumers place in official push alerts sent by corporate apps on their personal smartphones.
The message explicitly claimed that the hackers had fully compromised a Snowflake data storage instance. Snowflake is a prominent cloud data warehousing provider utilized by numerous enterprises for collecting and analyzing corporate data, and it has previously been linked to high-profile data breaches affecting major international brands like Ticketmaster and Santander. It remains unconfirmed whether ASOS actually utilizes Snowflake services or if any proprietary data was exposed.
The pop-up alerts also included an embedded link directing recipients to a Telegram channel operated by a newly established threat group identifying as the Xuanye Group. Dan Bird, a cybersecurity specialist at Horizon3, noted that the ability to trigger application push notifications suggests the attackers managed to acquire credentials granting elevated access well beyond a single database instance.
Source: BBC Business
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