AT&T Discloses Major Data Breach Affecting Approximately 70+ Million Accounts

The data set appears to be from 2019 or earlier, impacting approximately 7.6 million current AT&T account holders and approximately 65.4 million former account holders. File photo: Jonathan Weiss, ShutterStock.com, licensed.

DALLAS, TX – AT&T recently revealed a cybersecurity incident that exposed call and text message records for a significant portion of its customer base. The breach impacted nearly all of AT&T’s cellular customers, along with customers of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) that utilize AT&T’s network. Even some landline customers who interacted with AT&T cellular users during the timeframe are included.

While the compromised data doesn’t contain the content of calls or texts, nor personal details like Social Security numbers or birthdates, it does include phone numbers that customers interacted with between May 1, 2022, and October 31, 2022. A small number of customers also had records exposed from January 2, 2023.

According to AT&T, hackers gained access to the data through an unauthorized entry point within a company workspace on a third-party cloud platform. The company assures customers that they’ve secured the vulnerability and are working with law enforcement to apprehend those involved.

AT&T has launched a robust investigation supported by internal and external cybersecurity experts. Based on our preliminary analysis, the data set appears to be from 2019 or earlier, impacting approximately 7.6 million current AT&T account holders and approximately 65.4 million former account holders.

While the lack of call content and personal information is some relief, security experts warn that the exposed call and text logs can still be misused. By piecing together this data, malicious actors could potentially build a comprehensive picture of an individual’s contacts, both personal and professional, leading to privacy concerns.

AT&T has stated they are notifying affected customers via various channels, including text message, email, and mail. Customers can also check their account online or request a report detailing the compromised technical information. For more information and resources, AT&T recommends visiting their dedicated data incident webpage at https://about.att.com/story/2024/addressing-data-set-released-on-dark-web.html.