AT&T Wireless Phone Outage Triggers Four-Alarm Cyberattack Response, Was Only a Software Glitch

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The FBI, Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies quickly stared investigations fearing the worst

AT&T logo on Whitacre Tower
(Image credit: AT&T)

An early-Thursday-morning outage on AT&T's mobile network was the result of a software problem and not a cyberattack, as several first-responding agencies initially feared. 

AT&T reps told ABC News the interruption, which effected an estimated 70,000 AT&T cellular users, was caused by "the application and execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network.

"We are continuing our assessment of today’s outage to ensure we keep delivering the service that our customers deserve," the statement added. 

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were among a number of federal agencies which quickly responded to the service interruption, fearing it was a cyberattack. 

At 5 a.m. on Thursday, the DHS' U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) unit reported, according to ABC News, that "the cause of the outage is unknown and there are no indications of malicious activity." 

Daniel Frankel
Daniel Frankel

Daniel Frankel is the managing editor of Next TV, an internet publishing vertical focused on the business of video streaming. A Los Angeles-based writer and editor who has covered the media and technology industries for more than two decades, Daniel has worked on staff for publications including E! Online, Electronic Media, Mediaweek, Variety, paidContent and GigaOm. You can start living a healthier life with greater wealth and prosperity by following Daniel on Twitter today!