The hacker group “Dedale” has claimed duty, asserting that it holds knowledge on roughly 22 million Telefónica prospects
Spanish telecommunications large Telefónica revealed that’s has launched an investigation into a possible cyberattack following the web launch of delicate knowledge allegedly belonging to 1 million of its former prospects in Peru. The hacker group “Dedale” has claimed duty, asserting that it holds knowledge on roughly 22 million prospects.
“We’re investigating an alleged safety breach. The pattern launched by the actor, which includes 1 million information, appears to correspond to prospects in Peru,” a Telefónica spokesperson instructed Reuters.
The breach comes simply two months after Telefónica finalized its exit from the Peruvian market, promoting its native unit to Integra Tec Worldwide for €900,000 ($1.03 million). Regardless of that sale, the info seems to be from the corporate’s former operations within the nation. Telefónica is at the moment working to confirm the authenticity of the leaked information.
A sample of worldwide assaults
Telefónica’s incident is the newest in a rising collection of cyberattacks focusing on telecommunications suppliers throughout the globe.
In October 2024, a number of main U.S. operators — together with Verizon, AT&T and Lumen — have been infiltrated by a Chinese language hacking group recognized as Salt Storm. Based on a U.S. safety official quoted by the Submit, the Salt Storm group was apparently focusing on authorized federal requests for wiretaps, often known as lawful intercept, but additionally had broader community entry, which implies it might even have had entry to extra basic web site visitors.
And simply two months in the past, South Korean telecom chief SK Telecom (SKT) suffered a breach impacting roughly 23 million prospects — almost half the inhabitants of South Korea. The leaked knowledge included cellular numbers, authentication keys, and different personally identifiable data, elevating issues about SIM-swapping assaults and unauthorized surveillance. SKT responded with public apologies, SIM card replacements, and upgraded fraud monitoring measures.
A name for stronger defenses
These back-to-back incidents underscore a sobering actuality: as telecom operators turn out to be extra digitally refined, so do their attackers. The sector’s position in transmitting each private and nationwide safety knowledge makes it a major goal for cybercriminals and state-backed teams alike.
Business leaders and regulators at the moment are calling for extra aggressive safety postures. Within the U.S., the Salt Storm breach prompted a powerful response from the Federal Communications Fee (FCC).
“Whereas the Fee’s counterparts within the intelligence group are figuring out the scope and affect of the Salt Storm assault, we have to put in place a contemporary framework to assist firms safe their networks and higher stop and reply to cyberattacks sooner or later,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel stated. “The cybersecurity of our nation’s communications infrastructure is important to selling nationwide safety, public security and financial safety. As know-how continues to advance, so do the capabilities of adversaries.”
As Telefónica and others reply to those high-profile breaches, consultants warn that telecom firms should act urgently to guard their networks. That features investing in superior cybersecurity instruments, conducting ongoing vulnerability assessments, and creating sturdy incident response plans. Cross-border collaboration — between governments, telecoms, and safety businesses — will even be essential in figuring out and neutralizing threats earlier than they will escalate.
For Telefónica, the Peru knowledge leak might show to be a cautionary story in regards to the lengthy cybersecurity shadow solid by divested property. For the worldwide telecom business, it’s one more reminder that no operator is immune — and that proactive cybersecurity is now not non-compulsory, however foundational.
