Under Armour and Nike Targeted in Major Ransomware Breaches

2026-02-06

Under Armour and Nike Targeted in Major Ransomware Breaches: Lessons for Homelabs and Sysadmins

Ransomware incidents continue to hit high-profile targets. Recently, Under Armour and Nike were compromised by ransomware groups Everest and World Leaks, resulting in significant data exfiltration affecting millions of users. These breaches serve as a stark reminder that no organization is immune, and the threat landscape is constantly evolving.

Why This Matters for Homelabs and Sysadmins

While it might seem that large corporate breaches are far removed from homelabs or small business environments, the underlying attack vectors and vulnerabilities are often the same. Ransomware groups increasingly automate attacks, scanning for exposed services, weak credentials, and unpatched systems regardless of size. Many homelabs run services accessible from the internet or have complex internal networks with multiple endpoints, increasing the attack surface.

Understanding how these breaches happen can inform better security practices at home or in small office setups. It’s not just about protecting data but also about maintaining uptime and avoiding costly recovery efforts. I ran a flat LAN for years before finally segmenting storage and backups, and that step alone reduced my exposure significantly.

Practical Steps to Mitigate Ransomware Risks

Network Segmentation
Use VLANs or separate physical networks to isolate critical services such as backups, storage, and management interfaces. For example, place your Proxmox Backup Server on a dedicated VLAN (e.g., VLAN 20) with restricted access only from trusted subnets.
Limit Exposure of Services
Avoid exposing management interfaces (SSH, web UIs) directly to the internet. Use VPNs or zero-trust access solutions to connect remotely. If you must expose services, implement strict firewall rules and consider rate limiting.
Strong Authentication and Access Controls
Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) where possible. Use SSH keys instead of passwords and regularly audit user accounts. Remove or disable unused accounts promptly.
Regular Patch Management
Keep all systems, including hypervisors, containers, and applications, up to date with security patches. Many ransomware campaigns exploit known vulnerabilities that have patches available for months.
Robust Backup Strategy
Maintain offline or air-gapped backups with multiple retention points. Test backups regularly to ensure data integrity and recovery speed. Consider immutable backup options or write-once-read-many (WORM) storage if your budget allows.
Monitoring and Logging
Implement centralized logging and intrusion detection systems to catch unusual activity early. Even simple tools like fail2ban can help mitigate brute-force attempts.

Trade-offs and Limitations

Implementing these controls in a homelab environment requires balancing security with usability and cost. Network segmentation and VPNs add complexity and can slow down troubleshooting. Frequent patching may occasionally break custom setups or integrations. Offline backups consume additional storage and require manual intervention to maintain.

No setup is completely ransomware-proof. Attackers adapt quickly, and human error remains a significant factor. However, layered defenses reduce risk and improve recovery options. It’s important to prioritize controls based on your environment’s risk profile and operational needs.

Actionable Next Steps

Review your network layout and segment critical systems using VLANs or separate subnets.
Audit all externally accessible services and restrict access via VPN or firewall rules.
Enable MFA and switch to SSH key authentication for all remote access.
Schedule regular patching windows for all devices and software.
Implement a backup strategy with offline or immutable copies and test restores quarterly.
Set up basic monitoring to detect suspicious login attempts or unusual network traffic.

Ransomware is not just an enterprise problem. Even the most modest homelab can become a target if exposed improperly. I’ve seen firsthand how a simple misconfiguration can lead to hours of recovery work. Taking incremental steps now can save you from a much bigger headache later.

Sources

https://paranoidcybersecurity.com/breach/under-armour-and-nike-targeted-in-major-ransomware-breaches-1769771267