In a recent data breach, telecommunications company AT&T has reported that personal data from approximately 73 million current and former account holders has been leaked onto the dark web. The Dallas-based company stated that the data, believed to be from 2019 or earlier, was released on the dark web around two weeks ago, with the source of the leak still undetermined.

According to AT&T officials, a preliminary analysis revealed that the compromised data set includes information from about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former ones, accounting for a total of approximately 73 million people. The company has assured affected individuals that they will receive an email or letter notifying them about the breach.

While AT&T maintains that the leaked data does not contain personal financial information or call history, it admits that the information released may include full names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and AT&T account numbers and passcodes. In response, AT&T has pledged to provide complimentary identity theft and credit monitoring services to those whose sensitive personal information was compromised.

As a precautionary measure, AT&T has already reset passcodes, known as personal identification numbers (PINs), which serve as an extra layer of security for account holders. Officials are urging all customers to change their passcodes as well. Cybersecurity experts recommend monitoring credit reports and utilizing two-factor authentication for all online accounts to mitigate potential risks stemming from the leaked information.

Regarding the source of the breach, AT&T has confirmed that it does not currently have evidence of unauthorized access to its systems and is unsure whether the leaked data originated from the company or one of its vendors. This incident follows a claim made in 2021 by threat actor ShinyHunters, who asserted that they were selling data on 70 million AT&T customers. However, AT&T denied that the information came from their databases.

It is worth noting that AT&T's competitors have also faced data breaches in recent years. T-Mobile, for example, reported a data breach in 2021 where personal data from 37 million customers was accessed by a "bad actor." The company has since agreed to pay $350 million to settle class-action lawsuits. Similarly, Verizon disclosed a data breach in 2017 that affected at least 6 million customers; however, the company assured that none of the exposed information had been compromised.

As investigations into the AT&T data breach continue, affected customers are advised to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect their personal information from potential misuse.