Page 185 - Cyber Defense eMagazine August 2024

The AT&T Phone Records Stolen

A Cautionary Tale of Cybersecurity Failures

By James Gorman, vCISO, Hard2Hack

In today's digital age, the importance of cybersecurity must be re-balanced. With increasing cyberattacks
and data breaches, organizations must prioritize protecting their customers' sensitive information.
Unfortunately, AT&T has recently fallen victim to a massive data breach, compromising the personal
details of millions of its customers.

According to AT&T, the breach occurred between May 1, 2022, and October 31, 2022, as well as on
January 2, 2023, and was discovered in April 2024. It affected millions of customers. The enormous
phone company said they would notify approximately 110 million customers of the breach. The
compromised data includes customer names, addresses, phone numbers, and account details but not
the timestamps, the content of calls, texts, or Social Security numbers (SSNs). This sensitive information
has been stolen from AT&T's databases, leaving customers vulnerable to potential identity theft and
fraud.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – August 2024 Edition 185
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