AT&T said Monday’s hours-long internet outage in parts of Dallas was caused by an attempted cable theft, not a cyberattack, and service has been fully restored.
APT Iran, an Iranian-linked hacking group, claimed it knocked AT&T customers in North Texas offline, but the company said it has found no evidence supporting that assertion and is still reviewing network information.
Mary Cheney, a former FBI cybersecurity expert, said telecom, water, energy and transportation systems remain vulnerable because internet-connected operational technology underpins critical infrastructure.
The clash between AT&T’s account and the hackers’ claim underscores how difficult attribution can be in real time, even as broader threats against U.S. infrastructure continue.