Orange SA’s Belgian business said that hackers gained access to data from 850,000 customer accounts, in the third major cyberattack targeting the French telecommunications firm this year.
The company detected that one of its IT systems had been compromised at the end of July, exposing data in
cluding customer names, phone numbers, SIM card and tariff details, according to a statement on Wednesday. No email addresses, passwords or bank details were accessed, it added.
This is the third cyberattack Orange has disclosed this year. In July, there were disruptions to some of its services in
France after a cyberattack on one of its information systems. Employee data from its Romanian business was targeted in a separate attack earlier this year.
Orange blocked access to the affected IT system as soon as the incident was detected and alerted Belgian autho
rities, according to the statement. It warned customers to be vigilant for possible phishing attacks, where criminals try to trick individuals into revealing sensitive inf
ormation by impersonating a legitimate entity. The company didn’t detail how hackers exploited its system.
Telecom companies are attractive targets for hackers as they store valuable financial information on customers as well as critical information and c
ommunication from governments and businesses. Salt Typhoon, an attack spearheaded by a Chinese state-sponsor
rise as it enabled years-long access to telecom and internet networks in the US. The attack also impacted networks in South Africa and South Korea.
Affected customers in Belgium will be notified soon by email or text message, Orange said.
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The Dali was leaving Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka on March 26 last year when its steering failed due to the power loss. It crashed into one of the bridge’s s
upporting columns, destroying the 1.6-mile span and killing six members
of a roadwork crew. Baltimore’s port was closed for months, and increased traffic congestion remains a problem across the region.
The Justice Department last year filed a lawsuit seeking to recover more than $100 million that the government spent to clear the underwater debris and reopen
the city’s port. The owner and manager of the cargo ship agreed to pay more than $102 million in cleanup costs to settle the lawsuit brought by the government.
Maryland Joins in Suing Dali Ship Owner, Operator for Baltimore Bridge Collapse
In that lawsuit, the Justice Department alleged the owner and manager of the cargo ship recklessly cut corners and ignored known electrical proble
s on the vessel. In particular, the Justice Department accused the ship owner of failing to address “excessive vibrations” that were causing electrical problems.
The National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary report last year that the Dali experienced electrical blackouts about 10 hours before leaving the Port of Baltimore, and yet again shortly before it slammed into the bridge.