The data set included personal information such as Social Security numbers, said AT&T
AT&T confirmed this weekend that roughly 73 million current and former customers have been impacted by a recent data breach in which sensitive information was posted on the dark web. The data set included personal information such as Social Security numbers, it said, adding, however, that the true source of the data is “still being assessed” as the carrier does not yet know whether the data originated from AT&T or one of its vendors.
“AT&T has launched a robust investigation supported by internal and external cybersecurity experts,” stated the company.
In response to the leak, AT&T contacted the 7.6 million current customers impacted and has reset their customer account passcodes. The carrier also said it will reach out to former account holders impacted, as well. Those affected, continued the company, will receive “complimentary identity theft and credit monitoring services.”
In a statement, AT&T shared that as of today, the incident has not had a material impact on its operations.
AT&T is, by no means, the only telecommunications company that has been the recent target of such attacks. In 2021, for instance, T-Mobile US disclosed a cyberattack that resulted in customer data being accessed by an unauthorized party, in which information such as first and last names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and driver’s license/ID information for 7.8 million current postpaid subscribers was compromised. Additionally, this same information was also grabbed from 40 million “former or prospective” T-Mobile US customers.