TNB Tech Minute: Nearly All AT&T Wireless Customers Impacted by Hack

[00:00:00] Here's your TNB Tech Minute for Friday, July 12. I'm Zoe Thomas for The Wall Street Journal. AT&T says a hacker downloaded call and text message information covering nearly all its wireless subscribers. AT&T says the data was taken from a third-party cloud system.

[00:00:20] In a securities filing, the cell phone carrier said the data, mostly from 2022, was downloaded in April. The company hadn't found evidence that it was shared publicly. AT&T said the stolen records included details about how different phone numbers interacted

[00:00:35] with each other, but no contents of calls or messages. AT&T, which has nearly 90 million cell phone subscribers, said it was cooperating with law enforcement and that at least one person was apprehended. The European Union has charged X, formerly Twitter, with breaching its online content law.

[00:00:55] The EU's executive arm said it identified three grievances over X's content practices, including the design and functioning of X's blue check mark. Anyone can pay to obtain the check mark and gain verified status, which it said can deceive users.

[00:01:10] The charges could lead to a fine of up to 6% of the company's total worldwide annual revenue. CEO Linda Jacarino posted on X saying the blue check system is better than quote just the privileged few being verified. And Republican lawmakers are seeking a probe into Microsoft's $1.5 billion investment in

[00:01:30] artificial intelligence firm G42. In a letter to White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, the US lawmakers called for special scrutiny of the deal. They cited concerns about the transfer of advanced technology and possible ties that Abu Dhabi-based company may have with China.

[00:01:49] Microsoft and G42 didn't immediately reply to requests for comment. For a deeper dive into what's happening in tech, check out Monday's tech news briefing podcast.