Amid rising concerns over digital security, global sportswear brand Nike has begun investigating a suspected cybersecurity incident following claims by a cybercrime group that it gained access to the company’s internal systems.
Nike said it is currently reviewing the situation to verify the accuracy and scale of the alleged breach. In a statement, the US-based footwear and apparel company said it considers consumer privacy and data protection a priority and is actively examining a possible cybersecurity incident.
The claims were made by the WorldLeaks cybercrime group, which added Nike to its Tor-based leak site on 22 January. The group later claimed that it published around 1.4 terabytes of data, including more than 188,000 files, allegedly taken from Nike’s systems. WorldLeaks is known for using stolen data to pressure organisations, threatening public disclosure if its demands are not met.
WorldLeaks surfaced in 2025 after rebranding from Hunters International, a ransomware group active since 2023. Reports indicate that, amid increased law enforcement attention, the group shifted its focus away from file encryption to data theft and extortion. Since then, it has claimed hundreds of victims across multiple industries.
The incident comes at a time when cybersecurity practices in the global apparel and retail sector are under close watch. Another US-based sportswear company, Under Armour, has also been investigating a separate breach. According to a technology news platform, data linked to about 72 million Under Armour customers appeared online after a breach first claimed in November by the Everest ransomware group. The exposure was later confirmed by a breach monitoring service, which verified the data and alerted affected users.
Experts say these incidents highlight growing cyber risks for consumer-facing brands, as attackers increasingly target large volumes of customer data, intellectual property, and internal business records.
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