AT&T on Saturday said the data of 73 million current and former customers is on the dark web. The data, including Social Security numbers, appears to be from 2019 or earlier, AT&T said in a statement, and includes personal information for approximately 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former customers.
The leak first came to light in 2021, when hackers claimed they’d stolen customer data from AT&T and would put the information up for sale. Fast forward to March 2024, the stolen customer data — which may include customer names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and dates of birth — was discovered on the dark web, according to Troy Hunt, creator of Have I Been Pwned.Â
In response, AT&T said it has contacted the 7.6 million current customers and reset their passcodes. Whether you’re in the smaller set of current customers or the larger group of former account holders who think you’re data been stolen in the breach, you can take steps to potentially lessen the damage. Read on for what you can do. AT&T didn’t immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.Â
For more, here’s our picks for the best identity theft protection and monitoring services and how Consumer Report’s permission slip can help you take control of your online data.Â
What to know about the AT&T data breach
AT&T on March 30 said that personal information of 73 million current and former customers — including Social Security numbers — was leaked in the middle of the month to the dark web. Bleeping Computer’s 2021 report of the leak said the stolen information also includes names, addresses, phone numbers and birth dates. AT&T said the information doesn’t appear to contain personal financial information or call history.
AT&T said the stolen information appears to from 2019 or earlier and does not know if the information came from AT&T or one of its vendors.Â
How to see if your information was part of the AT&T leak
AT&T said it is contacting the 7.6 million…
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