AT&T: Another Day, Another Data Breach

AT&T, the telecoms giant, has revealed that hackers stole data from "nearly all" of its cellular customers over a six-month period in 2022. The stolen data was then illegally downloaded onto a third-party cloud platform, in yet another example of corporate America failing to protect its users.

• When did this happen?

In April, AT&T was notified that customer data had been illicitly accessed from a third-party cloud platform. The breach included data from 2022 and, for a small number of customers, records from January 2, 2023.

"Our investigation found that the compromised data includes files with records of calls and texts of nearly all our cellular customers, as well as landline customers who interacted with those numbers between May 1 and October 31, 2022." [AT&T press release](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/att-addresses-illegal-download-of-customer-data-302195733.html)

• What does this mean for customers?

While AT&T claims that no personal information, call/text content, or personally identifiable data was exposed, this breach is still incredibly concerning. With data from over 110 million wireless subscribers potentially accessed, this is a massive invasion of privacy.

• Who's to blame?

AT&T has not identified the perpetrators, but they're working with law enforcement to apprehend those responsible. However, with data already downloaded, the damage is done. This incident is a stark reminder of the constant threats to our digital privacy and the urgent need for stricter data protection regulations.

• What now?

AT&T will notify affected customers via text, email, or mail. Customers can also log into their accounts to check if they've been impacted. This breach, combined with the widespread outage in February, showcases AT&T's failure to protect its customers' data and service reliability. It's time telecoms companies were held accountable.