AT&T agreed to a **$177 million class-action settlement** following **two major data breaches in 2024**. The first breach (March 30) exposed **customer addresses, Social Security numbers, and passcodes** on the dark web, affecting **over 7 million 2024 account holders and 65 million customers from 2019–2024**. The second breach (July 12) involved hackers illegally downloading **call and text records**. Victims faced **identity theft**, including unauthorized vehicle purchases, credit card applications, and fraudulent bank accounts registered in their names. Florida plaintiffs reported financial losses and persistent spam attacks. AT&T denied wrongdoing but settled to avoid litigation. Affected customers can claim up to **$7,500** with documented losses, with tiered payouts for those without proof. The breaches led to **widespread reputational damage, financial fraud, and long-term trust erosion** among customers.
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/att
"id": "att1792517092425",
"linkid": "att",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "6/2019",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '73+ million (7M in 2024, 65M '
'from 2019–2024)',
'industry': 'Telecom',
'location': 'United States',
'name': 'AT&T',
'size': 'Large (millions of customers)',
'type': 'Telecommunications'}],
'attack_vector': ['Dark Web Data Dump (March 2024)',
'Unauthorized Data Download (July 2024)'],
'customer_advisories': 'Claims process open until November 18, 2025; tiers '
'for compensation based on documented losses',
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes (dark web leaks)',
'number_of_records_exposed': '73+ million',
'personally_identifiable_information': ['Social Security '
'Numbers',
'Addresses',
'Passcodes',
'Call/Text Metadata'],
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High (SSNs, financial-linked data)',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Personally Identifiable '
'Information (PII)',
'Call/Text Records',
'Authentication Credentials '
'(passcodes)']},
'date_detected': ['2024-03-30', '2024-07-12'],
'date_publicly_disclosed': ['2024-03-30', '2024-07-12'],
'description': 'AT&T agreed to a $177 million class action settlement '
'following two separate data breaches in 2024. The first '
'breach (March 30) exposed customer information—including '
'addresses, Social Security numbers, and passcodes—on the dark '
'web. The second breach (July 12) involved hackers illegally '
"downloading customers' call and text records. Over 73 million "
'people were affected across both incidents (7 million in '
'2024, 65 million from 2019–2024). The settlement provides '
'tiered compensation (up to $7,500) for documented losses, '
'with claims due by November 18, 2025.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Significant (class action lawsuits, '
'public distrust)',
'customer_complaints': ['Spam calls/texts/emails',
'Unauthorized financial transactions '
'(e.g., vehicle purchases, credit card '
'applications)'],
'data_compromised': ['Addresses',
'Social Security Numbers',
'Passcodes (March 2024)',
'Call and Text Records (July 2024)'],
'financial_loss': '$177 million (settlement amount)',
'identity_theft_risk': 'High (documented cases of fraud using '
'stolen data)',
'legal_liabilities': '$177 million settlement',
'payment_information_risk': 'Indirect (via linked accounts, e.g., '
'Wells Fargo autopay)'},
'initial_access_broker': {'data_sold_on_dark_web': 'Yes (March 2024 breach)',
'high_value_targets': 'Customer PII (SSNs, '
'passcodes, call records)'},
'investigation_status': 'Settled (class action)',
'motivation': ['Financial Gain (Identity Theft/Fraud)',
'Data Theft for Resale'],
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': 'Settlement payments; no '
'technical remediation '
'details disclosed'},
'ransomware': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes (but not ransomware-related)'},
'references': [{'source': 'USA TODAY',
'url': 'https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2024/XX/XX/att-data-breach-settlement-how-file-claim/XXXXX/'},
{'source': 'Kroll Settlement Administration',
'url': 'https://www.telecomdatasettlement.com'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'fines_imposed': '$177 million (settlement, not '
'regulatory fine)',
'legal_actions': 'Class action lawsuits '
'(consolidated)'},
'response': {'communication_strategy': ['Emails to affected customers',
'Public statements (denying '
'wrongdoing but settling to avoid '
'litigation)',
'Settlement website '
'(www.telecomdatasettlement.com)'],
'incident_response_plan_activated': 'Yes (settlement process '
'initiated)',
'recovery_measures': 'Settlement fund ($177M) for affected '
'customers',
'third_party_assistance': 'Kroll Settlement Administration '
'(claims management)'},
'stakeholder_advisories': 'Customers notified via email; public settlement '
'website',
'title': 'AT&T Data Breaches and $177 Million Settlement (2024)',
'type': ['Data Breach', 'Unauthorized Data Exposure', 'Dark Web Data Leak']}