Tech Desk 
Jul 15, 2024
Every nook and cranny on the internet is abuzz with reports about the AT&T data breach, suggesting that a notorious group of hackers has seized AT&T users' personal data stored in the company databases.
Substantiating the prevailing reports, AT&T itself confirmed last Friday that millions of its users were affected by a security breach.
Recently, another report has emerged on the scene, claiming that AT&T paid a ransom of around $370,000 to the hacker to delete all the data stolen data.
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It was also learned that cryptocurrency was used as a mode of transaction for the ransom in May. Moreover, part of the deal between the hacker and AT&T is that the former is said to have provided the carrier with a video to prove that he really deleted all the data.
As reported by Digital Trends, AT&T negotiated with the hacker through Reddington, a security researcher who was engaged by the hacker to crack a deal and was paid a fee for mediating between the two parties.
The hacker initially demanded $1 million to delete the data but agreed to receive $370,000 — a third of what he asked — after negotiating with the carrier.
The video-based proof, reportedly provided by the hacker, was shared by the mediator, who expressed satisfaction over the whole of the dataset being wiped.
AT&T data breach 2024 what to do
To stay safe from an AT&T data breach, change your passwords, enable two-factor authentication, monitor your accounts for suspicious activity, place fraud alerts or a credit freeze, check your credit reports, watch for phishing attempts, update security software, use identity theft protection services, and stay informed through AT&T updates.
