BSNL data breach: Company loses data of millions of users for second time in six months

BSNL data breach: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the state-owned telecommunications provider, has experienced a major data breach. A Threat Intelligence Report by Athenian Tech attributes the cyberattack to a threat actor known as "kiberphant0m". The hacker accessed a substantial amount of sensitive data, putting millions of users at risk.

The breach includes critical information such as International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbers, SIM card details, Home Location Register (HLR) data, DP Card Data, and snapshots of BSNL's SOLARIS servers. In total, over 278GB of sensitive information has been compromised. The hacker has claimed responsibility and provided samples to verify the data's authenticity.

According to the report, the stolen data is being offered for sale at $5,000 (approximately Rs 4,17,000). The special price was available only from May 30, 2024, to May 31, 2024. The high price reflects the data's significant value due to its sensitive nature and extensive scope.

The implications of the BSNL data breach and its impact on users could include:

Identity Theft and Fraud: With access to IMSI numbers, SIM card details, and other sensitive data, cybercriminals could potentially engage in identity theft and fraudulent activities.

Unauthorised Access: Hackers could use the compromised data to gain unauthorised access to users' mobile accounts, leading to misuse of services and potential financial loss.

Privacy Violations: The breach of personal information, such as HLR data, can lead to significant privacy violations, exposing users' personal and communication details.

Targeted Phishing Attacks: The stolen data could be used to craft sophisticated phishing attacks, targeting users with personalised and convincing messages to extract more information or financial resources.

Service Disruption: With access to critical server snapshots and DP Card Data, hackers could potentially disrupt BSNL's services, leading to outages or compromised service quality for users.