Another week, another massive data breach at a major corporation gracing our headlines. For the second time this year, AT&T is the latest victim of a large-scale data breach at the hands of hackers. While this is a devastating blow to AT&T’s image from a public relations standpoint, AT&T customers suffer the most as their personal data and information remains exposed on the dark web. As a “what not to do” case study, we outline the details of the data breach and how you can prevent a similar incident at your organization by enforcing a stronger cybersecurity strategy.
What Happened
Late last week, AT&T revealed that hackers obtained the personal data of almost all of their wireless customers back in April. The data mostly included call and text records from 2022. The data does not include customer names, but there is fear that customer names can easily be found via associated phone numbers. Additionally, private details like who these customers may have called during this timeframe are also exposed. AT&T claims that this data was illegally downloaded on a third-party cloud platform called Snowflake.
Preventing Similar Data Breaches At Your Organization
Strong Password Management Is Key
In the case of this breach, it appears that hackers may have exploited stolen credentials found on the dark web. Simply employing strong password management and requirements makes an impact, as hackers often gain access via weak passwords. It benefits any organization to require their employees to use passwords of a certain length and complexity, as well as mandate a change in passwords on a regular basis. Employing an enterprise-level password management system will help stay on top of these requirements and generate secure passwords. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is another important tool in the toolbox. By requiring identity verification, bad actors are less likely to gain access.
Don’t Let Third-Party Vendors Be A Security Risk
Unfortunately for Snowflake, the third-party cloud platform at the center of this data breach, this is not the only cybersecurity incident that they are involved in. It’s imperative to hold third-party vendors to the highest cybersecurity standards. When partnering with any third-party vendors that work with and have access to sensitive data and information, it’s crucial to do your due diligence. Make sure these vendors have top-tier cybersecurity measures in place and include language in your contractual agreements detailing the cybersecurity requirements you would like them to adhere to throughout your relationship. Don’t just take their word for it; check back in regularly to monitor that they are adhering to these standards.
Frequent Monitoring & Testing Is Essential
Continually monitor for vulnerabilities and conduct frequent penetration testing. You never know how and where hackers are attempting to poke holes in your infrastructure. Penetration testing and vulnerability assessments will help to identify valid threats or weaknesses that could compromise network infrastructure, critical systems, and confidential data.
Does your organization’s cybersecurity strategy need attention? Our team of cybersecurity experts can help. Contact us today to get started.
