The data breach, which appears to involve information from 2019 or earlier, pertains to approximately 7.6 million current customers and a staggering 65.4 million former account holders
A concerning development has emerged in the realm of data security as personal information belonging to a staggering 73 million current or former AT&T customers has been reportedly leaked online. This revelation includes sensitive details like addresses, social security numbers, and passcodes, which were discovered on the dark web, according to statements from the US telecoms giant.
AT&T, however, clarified that while they have not found evidence suggesting the data was stolen, they have taken swift action by enlisting cybersecurity experts to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. As a precautionary measure, the company has reset customers’ passcodes and is urging affected individuals to remain vigilant by closely monitoring their account activity and credit reports.
The data breach, which appears to involve information from 2019 or earlier, pertains to approximately 7.6 million current customers and a staggering 65.4 million former account holders. In addition to addresses and social security numbers, the leaked data also encompasses full names, email addresses, and dates of birth. Notably, AT&T has reassured customers that financial information does not seem to have been compromised.
AT&T stated in a release that the source of the leaked data remains unclear, leaving open the possibility that it may have originated from their own systems or through a third-party supplier.
As one of the largest mobile and internet services providers in the United States, AT&T’s wireless 5G network reaches around 290 million people across the nation. However, this incident follows a previous setback in February, when a significant outage affected tens of thousands of phone users, prompting the company to issue an apology and offer $5 credit to affected individuals.
Following the February outage, prosecutors in New York launched an investigation into the matter, as it left countless people unable to use their phones for approximately 12 hours.
