AT&T Investigates Massive Data Leak Affecting 73 Million Customers
AT&T, the telecommunications giant, has launched an extensive investigation into a concerning data breach that has exposed the personal information of 73 million current and former customers.
According to a news release issued by AT&T on Saturday morning, the leaked data, which includes sensitive details like Social Security numbers, surfaced on the dark web approximately two weeks ago. The company stated that it is currently uncertain whether the leaked data originated from AT&T’s systems or one of its vendors.
The leaked data, believed to be from 2019 or earlier, does not include financial information or specific call history details. However, it does impact approximately 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former account holders, according to AT&T’s findings.
In response to the breach, AT&T is proactively reaching out to affected customers, urging them to reset their account passcodes as a precautionary measure. Additionally, the company advises customers to remain vigilant for any suspicious activity related to their accounts or credit reports. For affected individuals, AT&T has committed to providing credit monitoring services at no cost where applicable.
The company became aware of the potential leak approximately two weeks ago when news of it first surfaced on March 17 through an online forum. At that time, AT&T stated to CNN that they had found no indications of a compromise to their systems. However, they acknowledged that the leaked dataset discussed recently may align with data previously recycled on online forums.
AT&T’s ongoing investigation aims to identify the source of the breach and implement necessary security measures to safeguard customer data and prevent future incidents.
