AT&T says a data breach leaked millions of customers’ information online. Were you affected?
By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS (AP Enterprise Reporter)
NEW YORK — The theft of delicate info belonging to hundreds of thousands of AT&T’s present and former clients has been just lately found on-line, the telecommunications big stated this weekend.
In a Saturday announcement addressing the information breach, AT&T stated {that a} dataset discovered on the “darkish internet” incorporates info together with some Social Safety numbers and passcodes for about 7.6 million present account holders and 65.4 million former account holders.
Whether or not the information “originated from AT&T or certainly one of its distributors” continues to be unknown, the Dallas-based firm famous — including that it had launched an investigation into the incident. AT&T has additionally begun notifying clients whose private info was compromised.
Right here’s what you could know.
Though various by every buyer and account, AT&T says that info concerned on this breach included Social Safety numbers and passcodes — which, not like passwords, are numerical PINS which might be usually 4 digits lengthy.
Full names, electronic mail addresses, mailing deal with, cellphone numbers, dates of start and AT&T account numbers could have additionally been compromised. The impacted information is from 2019 or earlier and doesn’t seem to incorporate monetary info or name historical past, the corporate stated.
Shoppers impacted by this breach needs to be receiving an electronic mail or letter straight from AT&T in regards to the incident. The e-mail notices started going out on Saturday, an AT&T spokesperson confirmed to The Related Press.
Past these notifications, AT&T stated that it had already reset the passcodes of present customers. The corporate added that it might pay for credit score monitoring companies the place relevant.
AT&T additionally stated that it “launched a strong investigation” with inner and exterior cybersecurity consultants to research the scenario additional.
AT&T has seen a number of information breaches that vary in dimension and influence over time.
Whereas the corporate says the information on this newest breach surfaced on a hacking discussion board almost two weeks in the past, it intently resembles an identical breach that surfaced in 2021 however which AT&T by no means acknowledged, cybersecurity researcher Troy Hunt instructed the AP Saturday.
“In the event that they assess this and so they made the improper name on it, and we’ve had a course of years move with out them having the ability to notify impacted clients,” then it’s doubtless the corporate will quickly face class motion lawsuits, stated Hunt, founding father of an Australia-based web site that warns folks when their private info has been uncovered.
A spokesperson for AT&T declined to remark additional when requested about these similarities Sunday.
Avoiding information breaches fully could be tough in our ever-digitized world, however shoppers can take some steps to assist defend themselves going ahead.
The fundamentals embody creating hard-to-guess passwords and utilizing multifactor authentication when potential. Should you obtain a discover a few breach, it’s good concept to vary your password and monitor account exercise for any suspicious transactions. You’ll additionally wish to go to an organization’s official web site for dependable contact info — as scammers typically attempt to make the most of information like information breaches to realize your belief by means of look-alike phishing emails or cellphone calls.
As well as, the Federal Commerce Fee notes that nationwide credit score bureaus — akin to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — provide free credit score freezes and fraud alerts that customers can set as much as assist defend themselves from identification theft and different malicious exercise.
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AP Reporter Matt O’Brien contributed to this report from Windfall, Rhode Island.
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