On Wednesday, Cell C, a major mobile operator in South Africa, announced that it had been hit by a ransomware attack from a group called RansomHouse.
This attack compromised the data of many customers and raised serious concerns about cybersecurity in the telecommunications industry.
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How the attack happened
Cell C revealed that the hackers gained unauthorised access to parts of its IT systems and stole around 2TB of data. This stolen data included sensitive information such as login credentials for various internal systems.
Reports suggest that the attack was preceded by phishing campaigns throughout 2023, which tricked employees into revealing their credentials.
A cybersecurity firm noted, “The initial vector of attack involved sophisticated phishing e-mails,” which allowed the attackers to infiltrate Cell C’s systems.
After Cell C decided not to negotiate with the attackers, the stolen data was released publicly on December 28, 2024.
The leak revealed practical fibre-to-the-home service details, raising concerns about account and billing misuse.
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Cell C’s response and investigation
In light of this attack, Cell C has stated that it is conducting an ongoing investigation and has not confirmed how its systems were initially breached.
The company acknowledged that RansomHouse was behind the incident but did not provide further details about the hackers’ identities.
Jeffrey Hedberg, the founder of Cell C, is under scrutiny as the company deals with this crisis.
As technology advances, incidents like this show how vulnerable companies can be and how much they need to improve their cybersecurity measures.
Experts warn that ransomware attacks are becoming more common and clever.
RansomHouse’s methods reveal a trend where cybercriminals exploit corporate weaknesses, posing customer risks through potential identity theft and financial fraud.
As investigations continue, many are watching closely to see how Cell C will respond to this serious issue.
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