Thousands in Texas were left without internet and TV after outage; Iranian hackers say we did it; AT&T says: No, we ...

Thousands of users in Texas were left without internet, TV and phone services after an AT&T outage on Monday, September 7. An Iranian-linked hacking group later claimed responsibility for the disruption. The group, APT IRAN, said on Telegram that it had attacked telecommunications and other critical infrastructure in Texas. It also claimed responsibility for disrupting an unnamed water utility in the state. The claim was first reported by Threat Beat, a publication associated with the McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security at Auburn University.According to Threat Beat, APT IRAN is closely linked to CyberAv3ngers, a group affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. APT IRAN has previously claimed attacks against water systems in several US states. The group said earlier attacks in late July targeted water systems in Minnesota, Michigan, Georgia, New Jersey, South Dakota and Arkansas. It then said those attacks were intended to warn about its ability to target critical US infrastructure.What AT&T saysAT&T initially said the outage was linked to fiber equipment and cable issues. In an updated statement, the company rejected the hacking group's claim.“We have no evidence to support that claim. Our assessment indicates that attempted cable theft led to the outage. Internet service across Dallas and surrounding areas is operating normally, and we continue to monitor our network and review relevant information,” AT&T said.The company said internet service in Dallas and nearby areas had returned to normal.Hackers warn of more attacksOn August 30, the group claimed it would target more critical infrastructure. According to Threat Beat, APT IRAN said:"We had previously warned that anyone who encroaches on this soil and threatens our beloved Iran will pay for this mistake with their lives," The group also referred to earlier warnings involving Minnesota and said:"You ignored our warnings, and we in Minnesota warned you again. You ignored them again; but this time we will sew the lips and mouths of the American people together."AT&T outage reports reached nearly 6,000The AT&T outage was first reported Monday, September 7 morning. According to Downdetector data cited by WFAA, customer reports began rising at about 2:18 a.m. A larger increase was recorded from around 10:30 a.m. Reports reached a peak of 5,990 shortly before 3 p.m. The number of reports then dropped quickly, with the outage mostly resolved by around 6 p.m.The outage affected internet, TV and phone services for some customers.Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.