AT&T Attack Reveals 73 Million Customer Records Exposed On The Dark Web

AT&T, the largest telecommunications company in the United States, recently disclosed a data breach where a dataset containing information for approximately 7.6 million current AT&T account holders and 65.4 million former users was found for sale on the "dark web." In total, around 73 million accounts were affected.

The compromised data includes passcodes (PIN numbers) and Social Security numbers from 2019 or earlier. While it does not contain personal financial information or call history, it may include email and mailing addresses, phone numbers, and birthdates.

AT&T has reached out to all affected customers via email or mail, advising them to reset their passcodes. If you are an AT&T customer, be highly cautious of any emails asking you to change your password. Ensure the email is genuinely from AT&T, as cybercriminals are likely to exploit this situation by sending fake emails with malicious links. If you are unsure about an email's authenticity, contact AT&T support and request another reset link while on the phone.

The breach's origin is still unclear, and it is unknown whether it originated from AT&T or one of its vendors. AT&T has launched an investigation and will likely employ computer forensics specialists to determine the cause. The organization must also remove any installed malware from the software running its customer account system without disrupting service for unaffected customers. The investigation, cleanup, potential lawsuits, and legal fees make this a costly issue to resolve.

At ET&T, we emphasize the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures. While no solution is entirely impenetrable, robust security systems can prevent the majority of hacking attempts. Addressing the consequences of a cyber-attack is significantly more costly than preventing one.

If you are concerned about your organization's security, request a FREE Consult from our team of cybersecurity experts. We will analyze your network to identify any exposed entry points that hackers could exploit. Additionally, we will advise you on collaborating with third-party vendors to ensure your and your customers' data is as secure as possible.