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The breach, which took place last year, reportedly saw hackers steal months of the agents’ text and call logs
According to a report from Bloomberg, FBI agents are being warned that their data may have been compromised in a data breach at AT&T.
AT&T announced having been attacked in July last year, revealing that six months of customer mobile data from 2022 had been stolen. The hackers responsible subsequently attempted to extort AT&T, threatening to sell the data on the dark web unless a ransom was paid.
While the exact contents of the data stolen during the breach was not revealed, a document seen by Bloomberg indicated that the FBI believed this information could link agents to their secret sources. As such, the FBI reportedly took immediate action from the FBI to help conceal the identity of confidential informants.
An anonymous source that reviewed a sample of the stolen data confirmed that it included the call logs of at least one FBI agent.
“After criminals stole customer data last year, we worked closely with law enforcement to mitigate impact to government operations,” said AT&T spokesperson Alex Byers.
In a statement, the FBI said it “continually adapts our operational and security practices as physical and digital threats evolve”.
“The FBI has a solemn responsibility to protect the identity and safety of confidential human sources, who provide information every day that keeps the American people safe, often at risk to themselves,” it added.
Recent years have seen telcos increasingly targeted by cybercriminals, with numerous major breaches recorded by all of the US telcos since the pandemic. Most recently, the media’s focus has been on the telco-targeted cyberattacks by China-affiliated hacker group ‘Salt Typhoon’, which impacted both AT&T and Verizon.
In a statement last week, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Jessica Rosenworcel said it was time for the FCC to modernise its rules around cybersecurity and keep closer tabs on telco security.
“The time to take this action is now. We do not have the luxury of waiting,” she said in a statement. “Telecommunications networks are essential for everything in day-to-day life, from our national defense to public safety to economic growth. The actions we take and propose here will strengthen our cybersecurity safeguards and enhance our resilience against future attacks.”
Are US telcos doing enough to protect their data from ever-growing cyber threats? Join the discussion at Connected America, live in Dallas, Texas
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