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AT&T Discovers Data Breach of Over 70 Million Users on the Dark Web

AT&T Discovers Social Security Numbers of More than 70 Million Users on the Dark Web, Initiates Password Reset

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In a recent development, telecommunications giant AT&T revealed that it has reset the passcodes of 7.6 million customers due to compromised customer data surfacing on the dark web. This security breach has prompted AT&T to take immediate action to safeguard its users’ sensitive information.

The Breach and Response

AT&T Discovers Data Breach of Over 70 Million Users on the Dark Web

Image Source: wptv.com

AT&T announced on Saturday that it had detected compromised customer data being circulated on the dark web, leading to the reset of passcodes for millions of its customers. The company is collaborating with external cybersecurity experts to thoroughly investigate the matter. The compromised data, dating back to 2019 or earlier, does not include personal financial information or call history, according to AT&T.

Scope of Impact and Customer Support

Aside from the 7.6 million current customers affected, the breach also impacts 65.4 million former account holders. To address this issue, AT&T is reaching out to individuals with compromised sensitive personal information separately and providing complimentary identity theft and credit monitoring services. The company has reset passcodes for affected users and provided instructions on how to reset them securely.

AT&T has initiated a robust investigation supported by internal and external cybersecurity experts. However, specific details about the breach’s origin or why it remained undetected for an extended period were not disclosed by company representatives.

TechCrunch's Role and Previous Denials

TechCrunch played a crucial role in bringing attention to the breach by informing AT&T about encrypted passcodes leaked data that could be used to access customer accounts. This disclosure by TechCrunch marks the first time AT&T has acknowledged the leaked data belonging to its customers, despite previous denials and uncertainties about the breach’s source.

Also Read: How to Report Abuse Content on Facebook, X, and Instagram

Ongoing Challenges and Customer Experience

This incident adds to recent challenges faced by AT&T, including a widespread outage last month that affected users across the United States. The outage, which impacted cities like Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York, led to around 70,000 reports of disrupted service at its peak. In response, AT&T offered affected customers a $5 credit as a gesture to mitigate inconvenience.

As AT&T continues to address cybersecurity concerns and enhance its protective measures, the company remains committed to safeguarding its customers’ privacy and providing a secure telecommunications experience.

AT&T

AT&T – The subsidiary of Bell Telephone company that rise as an individual firm in a few years

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The
telecommunication industry has experienced lots of changes in the near years.
As well as it will further see tremendous changes in the upcoming year. In such
a scenario, it will no doubt offers many opportunities for the firms working in
this sector. AT&T is one of the largest firms in the telecommunication
sector which inherently grabbing such opportunities since its emergence.
Established in 1885, the firm has gained significant importance in the global
market.

Apart
from being a leading telecommunication firm, it is also providing services in
multiple sectors. Such as television network service, film production, and
premium pay services through WarnerMedia. Also, it is one of the well-known
advertising services providers through its very own segment called Xandr.
Moreover, the firm is expertise in local exchange and long-distance services.

Backstory of AT&T Establishment

The roots of AT&T’s foundation is in the establishment of Bell Telephone Company. In the mid of 19th century, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, A. Graham Bell, and Thomas Sanders set up Bell Telephone company. That time, in 1885, they acquired AT&T and made it one of the most important segments of the firm. AT&T stands for American Telephone and Telegraph Company, which remained the main firm even after it merged into Bell Telephone company. After a few years, the firm went to several reformations. In fact, U.S regulators limit its business to broke the monopoly of AT&T in the market.  It was the time when AT&T had to turned its regional subsidiaries into individual firms, known as Baby Bells.

The
firm also renamed its name, which later on again replaced by original name
i.e., AT&T. Today, it maps a large part of the Latin American
telecommunication market.

Exploring
the business

Even
though the firm has experienced several breakups and reformations in history,
it stood strong and compete with rivals like MCI and Sprint. Within 10 years,
the firm has ranked 15th in the Fortune 500 list. The firm has acquired several
businesses in the following years. It purchased Lusacell in 2014, and NII
Holdings in the same year. Both were the top firms in the Mexican cellular and
wireless business.

Recently, AT&T launched a mobile 5G network in 2018. Currently, available in 12 cities around America. After Verizon, AT&T became the second telecommunication provider to launch 5G. The success journey of AT&T has not been fulfilled yet. As per the vision and mission of the firm, it aims to become the most valuable and admirable firm on the planet. Presently, the firm is working in four segments called AT&T, Latin America, WarnerMedia, and Xandr.

Personalities
involved in the success of AT&T

Gardiner
Greene Hubbard-Founder

Born
on 25 August 1822, Gardiner was a reputed financier, community leader, and
lawyer in America. Apart from that, he was one of the founding members of Bell
Telephony company, later on, served as the first president of the firm. As
well, he was a founding member of the National Geographic Society and Journal
Science. Despite being a lawyer by profession but Gardiner worked in almost all
sectors.

Coming
to his education, he studied at Phillips Academy. In 1841, he finished
graduating from Dartmouth. Thereafter he joined Harvard to study law.

John
T. Stankey-CEO

AT&T CEO
Image Source: variety.com

He
is a well-known businessman in the USA and former CEO at WarnerMedia.
Presently, serving as the CEO of leading telecommunication firm, AT&T.
Before that, Jhon served in various positions in a similar firm. Jhon is
graduated in finance and started his career at Pacific Bell. Thereafter, he got
the chance to lead many positions. In fact, he shared a great contribution to
the acquisition of DirecTV and Warner. These are some of the important
acquisitions made by AT&T. Stankey currently guiding the policies of
AT&T. Recently, the firm launched a 5G service, which he aims to explore
further. As well, the firm has worked in streaming video services under
Stankey’s policies.

Bottom
Line

AT&T
has a big name in the telecommunication industry, also captures a large part of
the local and global market. The firm has grabbed the opportunities provided by
the evolving telecommunication sector and strengthen its roots planted in 1885.
Presently, it has huge importance in the industry and has millions of clients
and customers. Through its top four segments i.e., AT&T, Latin America,
WarnerMedia, and Xandr; the firm is playing a large role in the American
telecommunication market.

COVID-19 Imapct on AT&T

AT&T Waives Data Cap Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

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The COVID-19 seems to be the most covered news item of the week, as it continues its rampant spread all over the world. With the aggressive transmission tendencies of the viral pandemic, forcing major countries to shut down their borders and operations, the world is witnessing a different kind of social shutdown. As most schools and colleges across North America and Europe stay shut, data providers have decided to do their part to help people get used to the situation they are in. This has inspired, AT&T, one of the major ISPs in North America to suspend its existing data usage caps. Here’s a look at everything you need to know regarding the situation, and why this news will delight consumer groups across America.

Bunkered Down Due to COVID-19

Millions of Americans have put themselves in self-quarantine and are refusing to step outside in a bid to avoid catching the dangerous COVID-19, which is spreading across the globe. This move by AT&T is a welcome scheme for consumer groups as they will now have the liberty to enjoy broadband services as they like. This move has also led Senators to call out other ISPs and ask them to follow suit. As per a report by Motherboard, broadband caps do not have a true technical purpose, but rather serve as a form of the market price hike. Hence, in the wake of the COVID-19, AT&T has decided to do away with their broadband usage caps. However, the company has not mentioned to what date this waiver will stay valid, and so users will have to watch the news closely in order to stay updated.

Waiving Broadband Usage Caps

The company’s spokesperson said that most American users rely on AT&T’s unlimited internet connection, and that to make things easier for the rest of their customers, they have decided to waive the caps. Their official website states that the caps used to stand anywhere between 150 GB to 1 TB of data per month. Also, the penalty for bypassing the limit stood at $10 for each extra 50 GB consumed. Since the COVID-19 has forced a majority of Americans to work from home, learn from home, and in a general stay at home, this will come as a huge blessing. With most Americans having to rely on online classes for their education and video conferencing for their work-related, the cap would have placed a severe financial burden on them. In the wake of an already shaken economy, such a burden would have been a nightmare for most users, and hence, this news comes as a sigh of relief for most internet users in the US.

Need for Caps

Several industry experts and executives, including leaked Comcast data show that such broadband usage caps do little to help manage ISP congestions. Therefore, in essence, they serve as a way for ISPs to gather more revenue from their user base, by hiking the prices of their services. Rather than serving as a technical method to overcome congestion, broadband caps exist to help ISPs to boost their service cost above advertised rates.

Such reports, when published in Motherboard, have prompted 18 American Senators, including Mark Warner, the sitting Senator of Virginia to issue a letter prompting other ISPs to waive off their caps as well. The letter states that almost every industry in the US is figuring out how to battle the dangers posed by COVID-19, and that during such a time, every company must try to accommodate the efforts of the masses. It then requests the ISPs to temporarily waive off their usual broadband caps and penalties to help people enjoy free broadband options during such hard times. Similarly, consumer groups such as Free Press also issued statements asking ISPs to suspend their broadband usage caps owing to the pandemic.

AT&T has however remained silent when asked about what they plan to do regarding caps on cellular data. The biggest internet provider for homes in the US, Comcast also refused to comment on the issue. This means that Comcast’s standing cap will be enforced, and hence, users will be charged extra if they exceed their existing plan’s cap.

However, they did release a statement saying that they were going to improve their upload speed from 15Mbps /2Mbps to 25Mbps/3Mbps. Furthermore, Comcast also plans on giving its new low-income group customers 60 days of free Internet service. Also, Mediacom is offering its customers an additional 50GB worth of data up till March 31. With so many Americans being forced to work from home, as a result of the mass shutting of schools, colleges, and offices, it comes as no surprise that the largest ISPs in the US are beginning to react to the situation.

AT&T TV now

AT&T Applies New Price Hikes to its TV Now Streaming Service

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Streaming services are slowly taking over the TV audience, but yet to stay in the field and ahead of the competitors, these streaming services need to apply new strategies, now and then. Despite the tough competition, AT&T’s TV Now, previously known as DirecTV Now, is yet again up to increase its prices.

AT&T at the beginning of the year had revised its streaming service plans and launched two types of streaming packages, i.e., the $50 Plus package that offers the users the access to over 45 channels, and the $70 Max package that allows the users to access over 60 channels and offers more sports coverage. But now, the company has again decided to increase the prices and that too, by 30% for the Plus package and 14% for the Max package.

It means the Plus package will now cost $65 and the Max package will be worth $80. But unlike the previous price hikes, the hikes this time will apply to both existing and the new customers, whereas in the previous price rise, the existing customers did not have to pay the extra money on their current plans.

AT&T TV now
Image Source: variety.com

AT&T is not having much good experience with its streaming business, as it has not been able to attract more customers to the services, instead is losing them slowly. Yet the company has to earn some profits, so it has decided to raise the prices.

Last year, AT&T ended the year with 1.6 million customers, whereas the number of customers in Q2 2018 was 1.8 million. Today, the customer count for the service remains at 1.3 million, which is a huge decline.

Despite the loss of last year’s customers, the company isn’t much worried about how the price hikes will affect the existing ones. For the users, there is an option to stay on the service or opt-out without paying any extra charges. Though AT&T offers a number of great services through the streaming TV, i.e. live TV and original contents from companies like HBO, it is up to the users to decide whether they think the 30% hike is valid for these services or not. The price hikes will take effect starting from 19 November 2019.

AT&T Will Now Let Its Users Pay Bills Using Cryptocurrency

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The American network provider company, AT&T, has announced that it has partnered with the BitPay payment service to allow people to use their cryptocurrency to pay their AT&T bills. By doing so, AT&T has become the first network company to add cryptocurrency as one of the payment methods for its users. The option has been added to both the AT&T official website as well as the app myAT&T.

at&t
Image Source: bitcoinexchangeguide.com

Though the company does not accept the crypto payments directly, it has integrated the BitPay payment service to its platform to carry out all the crypto transaction. Also as AT&T has not revealed on which cryptocurrencies it will support, it is quite predictable that it may support all the currencies that are supported by BitPay. The currencies that BitPay support, include Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Gemini USD, Paxos, and Circle’s US Dollar Coin etc.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve and expand our services. We have customers who use cryptocurrency, and we are happy we can offer them a way to pay their bills with the method they prefer.” the vice president of AT&T Communications Finance Business Operations, Kevin McDorman, said in a statement.

The users who want to pay through their cryptocurrencies just need to go to the BitPay option in the payment method list, and they will be able to easily pay through their cryptos. The app, as well as the website, can take the payment in the form of crypto, or the combination of fiat and crypto. BitPay will be responsible for carrying out the verification and the transaction of the crypto.

Since the company has only provided this facility for the online payments, the other users will need to wait for the payment option to come in stores. Also, for now, there may be only a minority using the payment method as most of the people are still away from using bitcoins or the other digital currencies like the fiat currencies.

Magic Leap Opens Up New Options for People to Buy its AR Headsets, Including From Selected AT&T Stores

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Many of you might have heard of augmented reality headset Magic Leap One that the company Magic Leap launched last year. The company has partnered with AT&T and has announced that the company is going to exclusively sell this mixed reality headset in some of the flagship AT&T stores in Boston, San Francisco and Chicago starting from April 1st.

magic leap
Image Sourec: magicleap.com

Though many early buyers have already got their hands on the Magic Leap One Creator Edition AR headset a few months ago, the company has opened up new options for its buyers to get access to the same in the coming month. In fact, the company has also teamed up with the HBO to deliver the Game of Thrones fans a next level experience with this AR headset, i.e., the company will demo the GOT White Walkers through the MAgic Leap One at the AT&T stores. As the GOT final season is also about to premiere in April, teaming up with HBO is a clever marketing move that the company has opted for.

The availability of the Magic One headset won’t be right away. It will be available at the Boston store on Boylston Street on April 1st, at the AT&T store of the Chicago location on Michigan Avenue from 3rd April and from the 5th April, the headset will be made available at the AT&T store of the San Francisco location at 1 Powell Street. People will also be able to buy the headset online from the AT&T website from the 5th of April.

The Magic Leap One is a $2,295 AR headset, which is on an expensive side. But if you are also interested in buying the same without paying such a big amount at once, the company is also offering people to buy the headset on affordable monthly instalments.

Though there are already many other VR headsets available in the market which are exceptionally great at user experience, including Oculus and Valve, Magic Leap is also trying to hit the market with a new experience. But still, it has not made much of the efforts as there is not many great gaming contents on Magic Leap. So there are lesser reasons people would invest such a huge amount on Magic Leap One except to explore the new technology.