Dentsu has disclosed a cyberattack targeting its U.S. subsidiary, Merkle, a leading customer experience management firm. Upon detecting unusual activity within Merkle’s network, Dentsu promptly initiated incident response procedures, including system shutdowns, to contain the breach and prevent further damage. Merkle, which handles sensitive data for numerous Fortune 500 clients, was identified as a significant target due to the valuable information it manages.
The company immediately engaged an external cybersecurity firm with expertise in breach of investigations to conduct forensic analysis and support remediation efforts. Dentsu has also informed relevant authorities, demonstrating its commitment to transparency and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
The investigation aims to determine the full scope of the breach, including what data was accessed, the attack vector used, and whether any client information was compromised. Dentsu confirmed that the incident was confined to Merkle’s U.S. operations and did not affect its Japanese or other regional networks, thanks to its segmented infrastructure.
