Verizon Communications Details

Verizon Communications

New York City, New York • 117100 employees • Telecommunications

Industry

Telecommunications

Security Incidents

Verizon Communications Inc., commonly known as Verizon, is a global leader in telecommunications, technology, and entertainment services. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in New York, it operates America’s most reliable wireless network and also provides a range of broadband and fiber optics services to both residential and business customers. Additionally, Verizon is heavily invested in 5G technology, seeking to expand its network capabilities and enhance its digital offerings, including in areas such as IoT, hosting services, and cybersecurity solutions.

Security Incidents

Verizon Communications Breach of Jun 2023

Severity Score

Low

Type

Insider Threat

Summary

In June 2023, Verizon experienced a significant security incident as highlighted in the 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report. The report revealed a sharp increase in the frequency and cost of social engineering attacks, emphasizing the role of human error in breaches across various industries. The cost per ransomware incident doubled over the past two years, with ransomware accounting for a quarter of all breaches. The incident shed light on the effectiveness of coordinated responses, particularly in the analysis of the Log4j incident. Despite the challenges, Verizon maintained full transpar...
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Severity

The Verizon cyber security incident in June 2023 was analyzed in the 16th annual Data Breach Investigations Report, which revealed 16,312 security incidents and 5,199 breaches. The report highlighted a significant increase in the use of stolen credentials in breaches, indicating a concerning trend in cyber attacks.

Impact

The breach had a median cost per ransomware incident that doubled over the past two years, with ransomware accounting for one out of every four breaches. Human error continued to play a significant role in breaches across all industries, emphasizing the need for improved cybersecurity training and measures to mitigate risks.

Verizon Communications Breach of Oct 2024

Severity Score

Significant to High

Type

Corporate Breach

Summary

In early October 2024, Salt Typhoon, a Chinese-linked Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group, reportedly infiltrated the networks of several U.S. broadband providers, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies. The breach has raised significant concerns, as it appears to have allowed the attackers potential access to systems used for court-authorized wiretapping requests by the U.S. federal government. The breaches may have persisted for several months, permitting the hackers to gather extensive internet traffic data from both individual and business customers in the U.S.

Salt Typhoon, a...
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Severity

The incident involving Salt Typhoon, a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group, represents a significant cyber intrusion with serious national security implications. The group successfully breached networks of major U.S. broadband providers, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies, accessing systems that facilitate court-authorized wiretaps. Such infiltration suggests that Chinese intelligence operatives gained access to sensitive communication data vital for U.S. law enforcement and national security agencies. Although the breach primarily focused on intelligence gathering, experts unde...
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Impact

The Salt Typhoon cyber incident, attributed to a China-linked advanced persistent threat (APT) group, significantly impacted major U.S. broadband providers, with Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies among the notable targets. This breach gained them potential access to systems intended for lawful court-authorized wiretapping, posing a considerable national security threat. Internal investigations suggest that the hackers remained undetected for several months, during which they possibly gathered vast amounts of sensitive internet traffic data, impacting U.S. capabilities in intelligence opera...
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