In a significant data security breach, personal information belonging to a staggering 73 million current or former AT&T customers has been exposed online. The leaked data, which includes sensitive details such as addresses, social security numbers, and passcodes, surfaced on the dark web, prompting alarm from the US telecoms giant. While AT&T asserted it hadn't detected any evidence suggesting data theft, the company enlisted cybersecurity experts to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. As a precautionary measure, AT&T swiftly initiated passcode resets for affected customers, advising them to remain vigilant by monitoring account activity and credit reports.

The compromised data, reportedly originating from 2019 or earlier, pertains to 7.6 million existing customers and a staggering 65.4 million former account holders. Beyond the aforementioned information, the leak also encompasses full names, email addresses, and dates of birth. Notably, AT&T clarified that financial details had not been compromised in the breach. However, uncertainty looms over the source of the leaked data, with AT&T stating that it's unclear whether the breach stemmed from its own systems or via a third-party supplier.

AT&T, renowned for its expansive wireless 5G network covering approximately 290 million people across the US, stands as one of the nation's leading mobile and internet services providers. This breach follows a string of challenges for the company, including a significant outage in February that left tens of thousands of phone users stranded for nearly 12 hours. In response to that incident, AT&T issued apologies and offered affected customers $5 credits, while New York prosecutors initiated an investigation into the outage.