TECHNOLOGY
AT&T suffers cyberattack: What happened and how does it affect customers?
One of the largest telecommunications companies in the US has fallen victim to a massive data breach, exposing the information of 109 million people.
AT&T has recently faced a significant data breach, revealing that nearly all of its wireless customers have been affected. This breach, disclosed on 12 July, stems from a cyberattack on a third-party cloud platform, Snowflake, which occurred over a six-month period in 2022.
The breach has impacted approximately 109 million customer accounts, encompassing AT&T’s mobile users as well as customers of mobile virtual network operators that utilize AT&T’s network. The company has stated that while the data is extensive, it does not believe it is publicly available at this time.
The compromised data includes “nearly all” phone numbers, call durations, and certain cell site identifiers.
However, cybersecurity experts warn that the exposed data could still be used to infer personal connections and interactions, potentially compromising users’ privacy.
“We sincerely regret this incident occurred and remain committed to protecting the information in our care,” the company said in a statement.
AT&T has initiated an internal investigation and is collaborating with cybersecurity experts to assess the breach’s scope and implications. One of the companies involved is the now infamous CrowdStrike firm, which has been blamed for the huge Microsoft outage.
The FBI and the Department of Justice are also involved, having been alerted to the breach earlier this year. AT&T has confirmed that at least one suspect has been apprehended in connection with the incident.
What happens to customers?
In response to the breach, AT&T has taken steps to notify affected customers and reset passcodes for current users. The company is also offering credit monitoring services to those impacted.