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BSNL Hacked for the Second Time in 6 Months
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), has suffered from a data breach from a threat actor identified as ‘kiberphantOm’. According to a digital risk management firm Athenian Tech the threat actor had accessed the company’s sensitive data which contained international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), Sim card details, Home location register data and critical security keys. Around 278 GB of this crucial and sensitive information is stated to be breached from the system. This data can be used for many potential cyber crimes like SIM cloning, extortion, etc.
The Telecom service provider’s system has been hacked for the second time in a span of 6 months. The last reported data breach was in the last December. This has hampered the trust of the users regarding their data security.
Read more: Effective Data Security Measures: Safeguarding Your Information
What is the Potential Threat?
The hacker has also priced the data for $5,000, the data that has been breached is not only limited to user information, but also the data that can directly bring the BSNL’s operational activities under direct threat. If the data gets into wrong hands it can be used for more potential and larger cyber attacks which won’t be just limited to Telecom provider but also to interconnected networks, and could pose a greater threat to national security.
The hacker has also stated that data is very sensitive and crucial, also can directly hamper the company’s operations. The Athenian Tech CEO Kanishk Gaur has also suggested the company to secure network endpoints and auditing access log. He also has stated to immediately conduct a investigation within the firm. The data can be used to bypass financial securities and also can be used to perform illegal activities against the customers. A potential risk of financial losses and identity theft stand in front of the customers.