How to protect your T-Mobile account in light of the latest data breach

3 years ago 294

In effect to a breach that compromised the idiosyncratic information of millions of subscribers, T-Mobile customers should alteration their password and PIN and acceptable up two-step verification.

A cyberattack against T-Mobile has resulted successful the theft and compromise of definite idiosyncratic information of astir 50 cardinal people. This week, the bearer acknowledged a large information breach successful which cybercriminals obtained the archetypal and past names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers (SSNs) and driver's license/ID numbers of 7.8 cardinal existent T-Mobile postpaid customers and much than 40 cardinal erstwhile oregon imaginable customers who applied for recognition with the company. Also compromised were the names, telephone numbers and relationship PINs of astir 850,000 progressive T-Mobile prepaid customers.

SEE: Security Awareness and Training policy (TechRepublic Premium)

Responding to the breach, T-Mobile implemented a fewer measures, specified arsenic 2 years of escaped individuality extortion services with McAfee's ID Theft Protection Service and Account Takeover Protection for postpaid customers. Further, the institution has advised each postpaid subscribers to alteration their PIN, adjacent though it said it wasn't alert of immoderate postpaid relationship PINs being compromised.

Much of information stolen by the attacker is reportedly already up for merchantability connected the Dark Web. The breach came to airy earlier this week upon quality that T-Mobile was investigating an underground forum station from someone claiming to beryllium selling lawsuit information obtained from T-Mobile servers, according to tech quality tract Motherboard.

The information up for grabs included Social Security numbers, telephone numbers, names, carnal addresses, unsocial IMEI numbers and driver's licence numbers. Motherboard said it looked astatine samples of the information and confirmed that it contained details connected T-Mobile customers.

Much of this information seems destined to extremity up successful the hands of cybercriminals, who volition usage it for relationship compromises, individuality theft and different amerciable activities. That means present would beryllium a bully clip for each T-Mobile users to instrumentality steps to support and unafraid their account, including changing the password and PIN and mounting up two-step verification. Here's however to bash conscionable that.

Sign into the My T-Mobile website to entree your account. At the relationship page, click connected the My T-Mobile paper successful the precocious close and prime My Profile. At the Manage illustration page, click the archetypal enactment for Profile information. Scroll down the Profile accusation leafage and click the Edit nexus successful the Password section. Type your existent password and past create, benignant and re-type a caller password, trying to travel the accustomed guidelines for devising a beardown and unafraid password. Click Save.

Next, click the Edit nexus successful the PIN section. Type and past re-type a caller numerical PIN, creating 1 with astatine slightest six digits. Click Save.

At this screen, you tin besides acceptable up your information questions if you haven't already done truthful oregon you privation to alteration them. Click the Edit nexus successful the Security Questions section. Choose oregon alteration the first, 2nd and 3rd questions, providing an reply for each one. When done, click Save.

To acceptable up two-step verification for your account, look for a conception for Two-Step Verification Options. Your champion stake present is to usage an authentication app, and T-Mobile steers you to Google Authenticator. If you don't already person this app, download it for your iPhone oregon Android phone. Back astatine the website, click the Set up nexus for Google Authenticator. At the adjacent screen, click Get Started. The leafage should show a QR code.

Open the app connected your phone. Tap the positive icon astatine the bottommost of the surface and prime the enactment for Scan a QR code. Scan the codification connected the webpage with your phone. Click the fastener to Continue setup. Enter the existent six-digit codification for your T-Mobile relationship arsenic displayed successful the app connected your phone. Click the fastener to Confirm Code. Each clip you motion into your account, T-Mobile volition inquire you to participate the existent codification from Google Authenticator.

Finally, you tin further support your relationship by requiring a password and further verification method each clip you motion in. To bash this, crook connected the power for the enactment that says: "When this enactment is on, we'll inquire you to supply your password and a 2nd verification method each clip you log in."

Cybersecurity Insider Newsletter

Strengthen your organization's IT information defenses by keeping abreast of the latest cybersecurity news, solutions, and champion practices. Delivered Tuesdays and Thursdays