AT&T: data breach discovered that exposes communications of millions of users

AT&T recently disclosed a significant data breach involving the call and text message logs of millions of users. From what was stated, the theft affected not only the customers of the telecommunications company, but also those of other operators who used the AT&T network between May 1, 2022 and October 31, 2022. It is important to underline that, according to AT&T, the The stolen data did not include the content of the messages or the timing of the communications, but included other relevant information such as the number of interactions and the duration of the calls. This data breach also affected a small portion of customers starting January 2, 2023.

Collaboration with law enforcement and implications

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that it is working closely with law enforcement to investigate this incident, made public via the social platform will notify affected current and former customers and make resources available to protect their information. It is important to note that, although the compromised data did not include temporal details of calls, the total amount of calls and messages and the duration of conversations for specific periods were exposed, potentially revealing interaction information between specific numbers.

Value of data for cyber criminals and states

Sanaz Yashar, a former Israeli cyber spy and CEO of the cybersecurity company Zafran, explained to CNN how this data can be extremely valuable for both cyber criminals and nation states. Cell phone identification information, in combination with other information, could be used to locate people in sensitive locations such as the White House and the Pentagon. This makes the incident particularly serious, underlining the need for a thorough investigation and protection of sensitive user data.

Discovery of the breach and actions taken

AT&T detected the data breach after a cybercriminal claimed to have illicit access to the company's call logs. Following the discovery, AT&T immediately brought in a team of experts to launch an investigation, which revealed that the hack had occurred between April 14 and 25. The US Department of Justice assessed that a delay in public disclosure was necessary to analyze national security risks. The FBI confirmed that AT&T contacted the agency shortly after the discovery and actively collaborated to determine the appropriate time for the public announcement, while also facilitating an exchange of information critical to the federal investigation.