AT&T hack is getting worse
data breach has been linked to an American hacker living in Turkey, and member of ShinyHunters hacking group
- hacker demanded $1 million in ransom
- AT&T reportedly paid $370,000 in ransom to ensure that the stolen information would be deleted
- affects 110 million AT&T wireless customers
- hackers stole phone records and text messages for 2022 and 2023
- may now also impact users of Boost, Cricket & H2O smartphone service customers
- AT&T warned, "There are often ways, using publicly available online tools, to find the name associated with a specific telephone number."
- "The inclusion of cell site identification numbers in the stolen data is particularly alarming, as it could potentially allow for the triangulation of users' locations,"
- "This adds a physical dimension to the already extensive privacy violation and couldexpose individuals to highly targeted and convincing social engineering attacks, not to mention compromising the physical security of individuals, such as those trying to escape
abusive relationships."