500K UK users hit by AT&T data breach – DIGIT.FYI

AT&T, the largest telecom company in the US, confirmed a significant data breach that has compromised the sensitive information of millions of its customers. The breach – first reported on 1 April – was acknowledged by the company following the discovery of a data set on the dark web, and has raised concerns about the security of personal data stored by telecommunications giants.

The data breach affected a staggering number of individuals, with approximately 7.6 million current and 65.4 million former AT&T account holders impacted. In addition to the impact on U.S. customers, the breach has also affected nearly 500,000 users in the United Kingdom, according to data from Surfshark.

The compromised information includes social security numbers and passcodes, along with potentially exposing full names, email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and AT&T account numbers. 

However, AT&T reassured customers that financial information and call history were not included in the breach. The leaked data dates back to 2019 or earlier.

The United Kingdom has been identified as the 9th most breached nation globally in 2023, with over 3.3 million leaked online user accounts reported. Despite a slight decrease in data breach volume, the rate of leaked British accounts remains significant, averaging six per minute, according to Surfshark.

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AT&T has taken swift action in response to the breach, resetting passcodes for affected accounts and initiating a thorough investigation with both internal and external cybersecurity experts. The company is working diligently to determine the source of the data leak, whether it originated from AT&T itself or one of its vendors.

As AT&T grapples with the fallout from this massive data breach, affected customers are urged to remain vigilant against potential phishing attempts and to monitor their accounts closely for any suspicious activity.