Hackers Lurked in Telecom Giant's Network for Months

Hackers Sneaked Around Systems for Nearly a Year

A major telecom company, Ribbon, recently disclosed that hackers, likely government-backed, had been lurking in its systems for nearly a year. The revelation came in a public report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Who is Ribbon?

• Based in Texas
• Offers phone, internet, and networking services
• Serves Fortune 500 companies and government agencies (including the Department of Defense)

The Breach

• Accessed as early as December 2024
• Company believes hackers are now gone
• No clear evidence of stolen personal data
• Some customer files on two laptops (outside the main network) were accessed
• Affected customers have been notified

Not the First Time

• Other telecom companies have been targeted in the past two years
• Chinese-backed hackers have gone after U.S. companies (including telecom providers) to steal:
• Phone records
• Data about senior U.S. government officials
• Companies affected:
• AT&T
• Verizon
• Lumen
• Cloud and data center providers
• Even companies outside the U.S. (e.g., Canada)

Why This Matters

• Cybersecurity is critical for companies handling sensitive information
• Strong security measures are essential to protect networks and customer data