the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, In a significant cyberattack, hackers have stolen phone records from nearly all of AT&T’s 110 million wireless customers, the company confirmed on Friday. This breach adds to a growing list of cyberattacks targeting businesses and government agencies.
The Scale of the Breach
“This one’s massive,” says cybersecurity expert and author Scott Schober. “A lot of people are considering it one of the largest data breaches.”
AT&T revealed that cybercriminals accessed a cloud storage platform back in 2022. However, the company did not become aware of the breach until April of this year. AT&T is now working closely with law enforcement to track down the hackers, and one person has already been arrested.
What Information Was Compromised?
In a statement, AT&T assured customers that the stolen data “does not contain the content of calls or texts, personal information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, or other personally identifiable information.” Essentially, hackers can see who customers called or texted but not the actual content of those communications.
Potential Implications for Customers
Despite the lack of sensitive personal information in the stolen data, Schober warns AT&T customers to remain vigilant.
“Usually, following breaches of this scope and size, this type of information ends up on the dark web, and what happens? People are going to start calling you,” Schober explains. “Be careful not to divulge any further personal information if they’re asking questions or scams, pretending they’re with AT&T or another company. Same thing with phishing emails.”
Steps to Take
Since no sensitive personal information was compromised, Schober advises AT&T customers that there’s not much else they need to do immediately. However, he emphasizes that data breaches like this serve as a crucial reminder to keep online information secure.
Tips for Enhancing Online Security:
- Use Strong Passwords: Create complex passwords that are difficult to guess.
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
- Stay Alert for Phishing Scams: Be cautious of unsolicited calls or emails requesting personal information.
AT&T is continuing its efforts to understand the full scope of the breach and ensure customer data is protected moving forward.
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