AT&T hacks customer calls and texts and continues to investigate

AT&T (NYSE:T) was hit by a customer data hack in 2022, including six-month call and email records.

AT&T shares fell about 2% in Friday's pre-market.

A major telecommunications company headquartered in Dallas announced in documents submitted to the SEC that it learned on 4/19 that “threat actors” claimed to have illegally accessed and copied AT&T call records.

As a result of an investigation by AT&T, the company believes that the hacker accessed AT&T's workspace on a third-party cloud platform and leaked files containing AT&T records relating to calls and text exchanges with customers that occurred approximately between 2022/5/1 and 10/31 and 2023/1/2 between 4/14 and 2024/4/25.

According to Bloomberg News reports, it was discovered that the third-party cloud platform belongs to Snowflake (SNOW).

Snowflake's stock fell about 5% in Friday's pre-market.

AT&T pointed out that the data did not include the contents of calls and emails, personal information such as social security numbers and dates of birth, and other information that can identify individuals.

However, this data includes records of almost all AT&T wireless customers and MVNO (virtual mobile carrier) customers using the company's wireless networks during that period.

The company further added that these records specify phone numbers exchanged by AT&T or MVNO wireless numbers during these periods, and also include AT&T wired customer phone numbers and phone numbers of other telecom operator customers, and specify the number of times these exchanges and total call time per day or month.

AT&T says that customer names are not included in this data, but it is often possible to search for names associated with specific phone numbers by using online tools that are open to the public.

According to the company, on 5/9 and 6/5, the US Department of Justice determined that the postponement of disclosure was justified. AT&T is currently submitting this report in a timely manner.

According to AT&T, they are cooperating with law enforcement agencies in order to cooperate with the arrest of those involved in the incident, and at least 1 person has been arrested.

At the time of this 7/12 report, AT&T believes the data has not been disclosed.

The company has stated that this incident will not have a significant impact on the company's management, and that it believes that there is no possibility that this incident will have a significant impact on the company's financial position or operating results.