Google’s cellular network provider, Google Fi, has confirmed a data breach, likely related to the recent security incident at T-Mobile, which allowed hackers to steal millions of customer details.
In an email sent to customers on Monday, obtained by TechCrunch, Google said Google Fi’s main network provider had recently notified the company that there had been suspicious activity related to a third-party support system containing a “limited quantity” of Google Fi customers. The data.
The timing of the notice — and the fact that Google Fi uses a combination of T-Mobile and US Cellular for network connectivity — suggests the breach is related to T-Mobile’s latest hack. The breach, disclosed on January 19, gave intruders access to a treasure trove of personal data belonging to 37 million customers, including billing addresses, dates of birth and T-Mobile account details. The incident marked the eighth time T-Mobile had been hacked since 2018.
In the case of the Google Fi breach, Google says hackers accessed limited customer information, including phone numbers, account status, SIM card serial numbers, and retail information. customers’ mobile service plan, as if they selected unlimited SMS. or international roaming.
Google said the hackers did not take customers’ personal information or payment card data, passwords, PINs, or text or call content.
While some emails told customers there was “no action required,” at least one Google Fi customer claimed in a Reddit post that their disclosure indicated their phone number had been briefly hacked, known under the name of SIM card exchange. Google reportedly told the customer that the intruders had ported their number for nearly two hours, during which time they “could have involved using your phone number to send and receive phone calls and text messages.” This technique is used by hackers to gain access to a victim’s other online accounts that are protected by the same, albeit hacked, phone number.
TechCrunch asked Google if it could confirm the incident was related to T-Mobile’s recent breach, but has yet to receive a response. It’s not immediately clear how many Google Fi subscribers were affected by the breach. Google has not made public the total number of cellular subscribers it has.
In its email to customers, the company said it was working with the as-yet-unknown network provider to “identify and implement measures to secure data on this third-party system and notify all potentially affected individuals.” He added that there was no access to Google systems or any systems supervised by Google.
Updated to remove a phrase related to customer voicemails.