Freedom Mobile Data Breach Exposes Customer Information
▼ Summary
– Freedom Mobile, Canada’s fourth-largest wireless carrier, disclosed a data breach where attackers accessed its customer account management platform using a subcontractor’s account.
– The breach, detected on October 23, exposed personal information including names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and account numbers.
– The company stated no evidence of misuse of the stolen data but advised affected customers to be vigilant against phishing attempts.
– A spokesperson confirmed the network was unaffected and clarified this was not a ransomware incident, though the number of impacted customers was not disclosed.
– This follows a previous data breach in May 2019 involving an unsecured third-party database that exposed data of about 15,000 customers.
A significant data security incident has impacted Freedom Mobile, a major Canadian wireless service provider. The company confirmed that unauthorized individuals accessed its internal customer account management system, leading to the theft of personal information belonging to a currently undisclosed number of subscribers. The breach was first detected on October 23rd, prompting an immediate internal investigation and response.
The investigation revealed that the attackers leveraged the compromised account of a third-party subcontractor to infiltrate the platform. Freedom Mobile, which operates with over 2.2 million subscribers and was acquired by Vidéotron (a Québecor subsidiary) in 2023, moved quickly to implement security enhancements. These corrective actions included blocking the suspicious accounts and their associated IP addresses. The company emphasized that its core network and operations were not compromised and clarified that this was not a ransomware attack.
The types of customer data exposed are particularly sensitive, including full names, home addresses, dates of birth, personal phone numbers, and individual Freedom Mobile account numbers. While the carrier stated it has found no evidence of the stolen information being misused thus far, it is urging all customers to exercise heightened caution. Affected individuals should be wary of any unexpected communications that ask for personal details or direct them to unfamiliar websites.
The company advises customers to avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from suspicious emails or text messages. It is also prudent to regularly monitor account statements and activity for any signs of fraud. A spokesperson for Freedom Mobile declined to specify the exact scale of the breach, only referring to a “limited number” of impacted customers. This incident echoes a previous security lapse from May 2019, where a third-party vendor exposed an unsecured database containing data for approximately 15,000 customers.
(Source: Bleeping Computer)
