Security Problems (Regions Security Newsletter)

1.- AT&T Suffers Data Breach

Dallas-based AT&T confirmed a data breach June 13.

Bill Hethcock Staff Writer-Dallas Business Journal

Attackers have compromised the personal information of an undisclosed number ofAT&T Mobility wireless customers, the Dallas-based telecommunications giant has confirmed.

AT&T confirmed the data breach June 13, saying outside attackers — allegedly employees of one of AT&T's service providers — stole personal information on AT&T Mobility customers. The company would not disclose the number of affected users.

“We recently learned that three employees of one of our vendors accessed some AT&T customer accounts without proper authorization,” according to a statement released by the company. “This is completely counter to the way we require our vendors to conduct business.

“We know our customers count on us and those who support our business to act with integrity and trust, and we take that very seriously. We have taken steps to help prevent this from happening again, notified affected customers and reported this matter to law enforcement.”

The breach was discovered May 19, and AT&T believes the data was accessed in an attempt to unlock phones for secondary market resale, the publication CSO reported.

AT&T Mobility filed a breach notification in California this week, CSO reported. From April 9-21, one of AT&T’s third-party providers violated the company's security and privacy guidelines and was accessing customer data.

AT&T says in the notification that the stolen information includes Social Security numbers and call records.

Bill covers health care, telecom, law and education. Subscribe to our email newsletters.

2. FBI Task Force Arrest 8 Cyber Suspects in South Florida

Shaun Bevan Digital Producer-South Florida Business Journal

A new FBI task force aimed at capturing personal identity thieves, credit card counterfeiters and scammers have arrested eight cyber crimes suspects in South Florida and Atlanta.

On Tuesday, agents with the FBI's task force arrested six people, most of whom work at AT&T call centers in Broward County. They are accused of stealing customers' IDs and account information from corporate databases to commit cellphone insurance fraud, according to theMiami Herald.

Those arrested in two related cases are:Kenneth Key, 32, of Pompano Beach;Jonathan Mackey, 23, of Fort Lauderdale;Quenikka Brown, 28, of Atlanta; Kaleb Trotman, 25, of Pompano Beach; Tsafiq Samuels, 24, of Miramar; and Tanya Morgan, 27, of Miami Gardens.

According to a pair of indictments, five former AT&T call center workers are charged with conspiring to sell the stolen customer information to co-conspirators, including Trotman. He and others allegedly used the information to impersonate AT&T customers and submit fraudulent cellphone insurance claims.

In a third case, Richard Garcia Diaz, 50, of Hialeah, is charged with stealing thousands of cable boxes and modems and then illegally modifying them to receive free service. And finally, in a fourth case, Ricardo Prieto, 49, of Miami, was charged with selling and using counterfeit credit cards.