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The company stated it has severed ties to a provider network that they believe to be responsible for the compromised system.
US wireless network operator T-Mobile has revealed that there have been recent attempts by threat actors to steal sensitive data, but that no private information was accessed.
There has been a wave of telecommunications breaches in recent months, reportedly conducted by a group named Salt Typhoon, which has been linked to Chinese state-sponsored operations, however T-Mobile has yet to confirm the identity of the individuals or group involved. All its findings have been shared with the US government for assessment, the company said.
While T-Mobile confirmed that it had detected several attempts at system infiltration, the platform has stated that it was able to stop the attack from advancing and that no sensitive data, for example voicemails, texts or calls, were accessed. T-Mobile has since severed all connection to the provider network that they hold responsible and are of the opinion that it may still be compromised.
Salt Typhoon has been linked to telecommunications cyberattacks in recent months, having targeted other large wireless network operators, such as AT&T, Verizon and Lumen Technologies, in an effort to gather private information. Earlier this month, a report was released that claims Salt Typhoon’s tactics are some of the most sophisticated cyber espionage efforts researchers have seen.
In October, T-Mobile reached a settlement with the Federal Communications Commission to pay a penalty of $15.75m to the US Treasury for multiple data breaches affecting tens of millions of users over the years. As part of the settlement the organisation must also invest $15.75m to strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure.
In response to the current attempted cyberattack, T-Mobile said that it works hard to “stay vigilant” to attacks.
“Following some incidents we experienced a few years back, we set out to undertake a cybersecurity major transformation,” the company said. This includes “layered defenses that more effectively deter attacks”, robust monitoring systems, rapid response and constant vigilance. “As we know that attackers will not stop and neither will we.”
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