Millions of AT&T customers’ data compromised by hackers
The data of millions of AT&T customers has been stolen as a result of a hack on a marketing vendor used by the US telecom giant. While AT&T did not suffer a direct breach, it is sending emails to around nine million customers to alert them of the theft of their data. The compromised customer information includes phone numbers, full names, and email addresses.
Some users also had details such as their specific plans, monthly charges, and minutes used exposed. The incident follows a hack earlier this year on AT&T’s rival T-Mobile, which resulted in the theft of around 37 million customers’ data. Operators are prime targets for data thieves, and impacted customers should remain vigilant about phishing attempts.
While it is too late for impacted AT&T customers to opt-out of sharing their data with third parties, it is advisable for others to review their current data-sharing agreements with their operators. Companies with valuable data and services remain a target for hackers, and it remains to be seen if future breaches will resemble those of recent years.
