AT&T confirmed that customer data was exposed through a third-party vendor which had been hacked back in January, affecting around nine million customer accounts. The data included basic personal information such as customer names, account numbers, phone numbers, and email addresses, as well as the number of lines on the account, devices used, and installment agreement information.
AT&T stated that the data set was several years old and did not include Social Security numbers, credit card information, account passwords, or 'other sensitive information'.
The carrier is informing customers whose data was affected and reassuring them that their systems were not hacked. This is the first time in years that the carrier's customer data has been exposed. Meanwhile, T-Mobile has experienced much bigger breaches of its system, recently paying out $350 million to subscribers affected by a cyberattack in 2021, and experienced another attack in January 2023, which exposed the data of 37 million customers. A Verizon breach in October 2022 only affected 250 prepaid customers.
How Can a Business Protect Themselves Against Data Breaches
Chris Close, a cyber security expert from Cyber Sleuth Security Garnet Valley, recently spoke about the importance of protecting your business against data breaches.
"Data breaches are a real threat in today's digital environment," said Close. "Businesses need to be proactive in protecting their data and customer information. There are several steps they can take to ensure that their data is secure."
Close suggested that businesses should start by creating a secure network. "Keeping your network secure is essential," he said. "You should use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication to protect access to your systems. Additionally, you should use encryption to protect any sensitive data that is stored or transmitted."
Close also emphasized the importance of staying up to date on security patches and updates. "Hackers are constantly looking for ways to exploit weaknesses in a system," he noted. "By keeping your systems up to date, you can reduce the risk of a data breach."
Finally, Close recommended that businesses conduct regular security audits. "Audits can identify any potential security threats that can be addressed," he said. "This is an important step in protecting your data from unauthorized access."
"Data security is a critical issue for businesses," concluded Close. "By taking the necessary steps to protect their data, businesses can help ensure that their data remains secure."