AT&T’s Unusual Decision: Paying a Hacker $300,000 to Delete Stolen Data

In a highly unusual turn of events, AT&T reportedly paid a hacker—or possibly a group of individuals—a staggering $300,000 to erase stolen data. As the story unfolded, one key piece of evidence emerged: a video purportedly demonstrating the deletion of said information. But just how reliable is this form of proof?

WIRED recently inspected the video that the hacker claimed to have shared with AT&T, showcasing the removal of stolen data from their systems. Despite this significant payment and the video’s existence, AT&T has yet to provide any commentary on the situation, leaving many to wonder about the implications of this action.

The decision to pay hackers and rely on a video as “definitive proof” raises multiple questions. For one, does the act of paying such a hefty sum not incentivize future breaches? One can’t help but wonder if this response might embolden hackers, suggesting that lucrative payouts are on the table for those committing cybercrimes.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, organizations like AT&T face mounting pressure to secure their data and respond effectively to security breaches. This recent incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between cybersecurity teams and malicious actors.

What do you think about this approach? Is paying hackers a viable solution, or does it only perpetuate the cycle of cybercrime? Share your thoughts below!

For more details on this astonishing event, check out the full story on WIRED.