Airtel India has refuted claims of a significant data breach, which alleged that personal data of 375 million Indian users was available for sale on the dark web. Reports on Twitter and a web forum frequented by hackers, cybercriminals, and security researchers suggested that data of 375 million Airtel users was being sold. Airtel quickly dismissed these claims, asserting that the allegations were baseless and that the hacker was attempting to deceive people. The company categorically denies any breach of its systems.
“There have been ongoing reports alleging that Airtel customer data has been compromised. This is nothing short of a desperate attempt to tarnish Airtel’s reputation by vested interests. We have conducted a thorough investigation and can confirm that there has been no breach whatsoever of Airtel systems,” an Airtel spokesperson stated.
The buzz originated from a Twitter account named FalconFeeds.ai, which shared a screenshot of a forum post where a hacker—identified as xenZen—was selling data of 375 million Airtel users on BeachForums, a site known for trading stolen data. According, the data includes mobile numbers, names, dates of birth, father’s names, addresses, email IDs, gender and nationality, aadhars, photo ID proof details, address proof details
Despite the lack of clarity on whether the alleged data is indeed in the hands of a hacker, and if there is any breach in Airtel’s systems, some security researchers believe the claims are not entirely unfounded. Nicolas Krassas, associated with Henkel AG’s cybersecurity efforts, retweeted information about the alleged Airtel data breach. Srinivas Kodali, a frequent commentator on cybersecurity matters in India, was more direct in his assessment. He tweeted, “Airtel has been hacked by a China-based threat actor. He listed data of 375 million Airtel customers, including their Aadhaar numbers, for sale. The actor who listed this data for sale on breach forums is now suspended on the forum. India’s Data Protection Act is still not active.”
While Airtel has denied any breach of its systems, it is essential for all, whether Airtel users or not, to recognize that data from Indian companies has been leaked or hacked in the past. Regardless of individual impact, it is crucial to adhere to cybersecurity best practices
