Cyber Security
AT&T Says Data Of Around 100 Million Customers Leaked
By TechDogs Bureau
Updated on Mon, Jul 15, 2024
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That is, the company revealed it recently faced a massive cybersecurity incident affecting a large part of its customers.
So, what did AT&T say about the incident? Let’s explore!
What Did AT&T Reveal About Its Data Breach?
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Through a news release published on its website, AT&T announced that a cybercriminal had illegally downloaded AT&T customer data pertaining to around 100 million customers of the company.
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The download occurred from the company’s workspace on a third-party cloud platform.
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The company learnt of the breach in April 2024 and a public disclosure was delayed at the behest of the Justice Department.
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Post the breach, AT&T launched an investigation into the matter and are even consulting with cybersecurity experts to understand the nature and scope of the breach.
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As per the company, the access point has been secured.
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AT&T is also working with law enforcement to catch the cybercriminals behind the incident, which, as per information provided to the company, one has been apprehended.
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According to the release, the company believes the data isn’t publicly available anywhere at the moment.
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“We sincerely regret this incident occurred and remain committed to protecting the information in our care,” read the final line of the news release, just before providing a link for customers to visit for more information.
What Data Was Compromised In The Attack?
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According to the release, the cybercriminals made away with phone call and text message records of nearly all of AT&T cellular customers, from May 1, 2022, to October 31, 2022.
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The compromised data also included files of customers of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) using AT&T’s wireless network and AT&T’s landline customers who interacted with those cellular numbers for the same period.
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Additionally, the illegally downloaded data also included records from January 2, 2023, of a few customers.
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“The records identify the telephone numbers an AT&T or MVNO cellular number interacted with during these periods.”
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However, the stolen data doesn’t contain the content of calls or text messages, as well as time stamps of calls or texts.
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Furthermore, data such as dates of birth, personal information including Social Security numbers or other personally identifiable information (PII) were not included.
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At the same time, the company warned customers that publicly available tools could be leveraged to find names associated with specific telephone numbers.
What Did AT&T Say About Its Future Move?
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As per a support article linked to the news article, AT&T said, “Protecting your data is one of our top priorities. We have confirmed the affected access point has been secured.”
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[Contd.] “We hold ourselves to a high standard and commit to delivering the experience that you deserve. We constantly evaluate and enhance our security to address changing cybersecurity threats and work to create a secure environment for you.”
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[Contd.] “We invest in our network’s security using a broad array of resources including people, capital, and innovative technology advancements.”
This breach follows another one that the company had confirmed on March 30, which included data from 2019 or earlier being released on the dark web. The previous breach was believed to have affected around 7.6 million current and around 65.4 million former account holders.
At the time, the company confirmed that the leaked data could include a customer’s full name, email address, mailing address, phone number, social security number, date of birth, AT&T account number or passcode.
Do you think this security incident will affect AT&T’s market position and market share? Do you think other companies should pay heed to this breach and work to improve their security efforts?
Let us know in the comments below!
First published on Mon, Jul 15, 2024
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