Current:Home > InvestAfter massive AT&T data breach, can users do anything? -Wealth Empowerment Academy
After massive AT&T data breach, can users do anything?
View
Date:2025-04-16 17:15:07
Every day, it seems there's another breach – unauthorized access and vulnerability to your personal or financial information. The latest: AT&T's data breach, which exposed nearly all of its cellular customers' call and text message records. It seems many of us have even become a bit numb to hearing about them, barely even opening the routine emails and letters that come offering a year of free identity protection. But don't tune it out.
This particular breach is more of a worry for national security, and not necessarily for consumers in their day-to-day lives, two experts said. Still, the incident is a good reminder for consumers to be proactive in protecting themselves from fake or spoofed phone or text messages, which could lead to scams, the experts said.
What happened in the AT&T breach?
The telecom giant on Friday said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission it learned in April that customer data was illegally downloaded "from our workspace on a third-party cloud platform."
According to the company, the compromised data includes files containing AT&T records of all calls and texts of nearly all of AT&T's cellular customers and AT&T landline customers who interacted with those cellular numbers between May 1, 2022 and Oct. 31, 2022. The compromised data also includes records from Jan. 2, 2023, for a"very small number of customers."
"The data does not contain the content of the calls or texts, or personal information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, or other personally identifiable information," the news release said. It also does not include details such as a time stamp, the company said.
The company said at this time, it did not believe the breached data is publicly available. However, the company said that while the compromised data did not include customer names, there are ways of using publicly available tools to find a name associated with a specific telephone number.
What should a consumer do after this breach?
Consumers do not need to do anything due to this particular breach because it did not have to do specifically with consumer information, Chris Pierson, CEO of BlackCloak, an Orlando, Florida-based cybersecurity firm, told USA TODAY.
"This is a nation state intelligence issue," said Pierson. The group that has the most to lose with this breach are intelligence agents whose identities could potentially be exposed or linked based on phone records, he said.
Cybersecurity:10 billion passwords have been leaked on a hacker site. Are you at risk?
The breached AT&T data has not shown up "in the wild" or sold on any identity marketplace yet, which is a good thing, but also could be a telltale sign that the breach was by another nation state, said James. E. Lee, chief operating officer for the San Diego-based Identity Theft Resource Center.
"Whoever bought this information from or accessed this information is not selling it. They intend on using it," Lee told USA TODAY. "It could show up later, after they're done with it, but for right now, it's not the usual telltale locations of somebody who's using this to make money," he said.
This breach is the latest news of compromised data and is a reminder to consumers to be proactive about interactions on your phone and online, said Lee. Be wary of messages or calls that come from unknown numbers and cybercriminals can fake or spoof real numbers to trick consumers, too, he said.
The AT&T news also comes on the heels of news that 10 billion passwords were leaked on a hacking site. Consumers have been urged to change their passwords, not to use the same passwords on multiple sites and to utilize multi-factor authentication tools.
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays,here.
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
- What Brittany Cartwright Is Seeking in Jax Taylor Divorce
- US consumer confidence rises in August as Americans’ optimism about future improves
- Can you actually get pregnant during your period? What an OB/GYN needs you to know.
- Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
- 'Only Murders' doesn't change at all in Season 4. Maybe that works for you!
- Travis, Jason Kelce strike lucrative new distribution deal for their 'New Heights' podcast
- Pumpkin Everything! Our Favorite Pumpkin Home, Beauty, and Fashion Items
- Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
- How many points did Caitlin Clark score today? Rookie overcomes injury scare in victory
Ranking
- Small twin
- Wild week of US weather includes heat wave, tropical storm, landslide, flash flood and snow
- 3 apes die at Jacksonville Zoo after contagious infection sweeps through Primate Forest
- Love Is Blind UK’s Catherine Richards Is Dating This Costar After Freddie Powell Split
- Residents in Alaska capital clean up swamped homes after an ice dam burst and unleashed a flood
- Green Bay Packers trade for Malik Willis, a backup QB with the Tennessee Titans
- Want to sweat less? Here's what medical experts say.
- Fans express outrage at Kelly Monaco's 'General Hospital' exit after 2 decades
Recommendation
A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
South Carolina Supreme Court to decide minimum time between executions
Maine workers make progress in cleanup of spilled firefighting foam at former Navy base
Historic ballpark featured in 'A League of Their Own' burns to the ground in Southern California
Southern California rocked by series of earthquakes: Is a bigger one brewing?
Taylor Swift's childhood vacation spot opens museum exhibit with family photos
In 'Yellowstone' First Look Week, Rip and Beth take center stage (exclusive photo)
Authorities arrest ex-sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot a Black airman at his home