Has Airtel's customer database been breached by hackers? Company says this

A hacker had posted on X that data of nearly 375 million Airtel customers, including phone numbers, email addresses, and Aadhaar numbers, were supposedly for sale on the dark web

Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Airtel, on Friday (July 5) refuted claims of any security system breach or data compromise following reports of an alleged customer data leak. The company dismissed the allegations as a deliberate effort to damage its reputation by certain vested interests.

“There has been a report alleging Airtel customer data has been compromised. This is nothing short of a desperate attempt to tarnish Airtel’s reputation by vested interests. We have done a thorough investigation and can confirm that there has been no breach whatsoever from Airtel systems,” the telecom major said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Various media outlets cited company insiders saying that the alleged hacker has not provided any evidence to support his claims and is misusing this narrative to damage the company’s image.

What happened?

Previously on July 4, unverified reports suggested that data of up to 375 million Airtel customers, including phone numbers, email addresses, and Aadhaar numbers, were supposedly for sale on the dark web.

The hacker, known as ‘xenZen’, reportedly listed the database on a dark web forum, demanding $50,000 for the information. He claimed the breach occurred in June 2024 and shared a sample of the data. Additionally, xenZen reportedly admitted involvement in a prior breach of the diplomatic passport holders' database maintained by the Union Ministry of External Affairs.

Earlier cases of telecom data breach

In 2021, cybersecurity researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia had alerted that data of over 2.5 million Airtel customers had been posted on a threat actor’s website named ‘Red Rabbit Team,’ which was later removed after three months. Airtel had denied any breach at that time as well.

Moreover, the customer databases of other major Indian telecom companies like Jio and Vodafone Idea have allegedly been compromised in the past. The exposure of personal data can lead to severe consequences, including identity theft, financial fraud, and unwanted marketing calls.

What is the dark web?

The dark web, known for its anonymity, is a part of the internet not indexed by conventional search engines and is accessible only through specialised software like Tor (The Onion Router). While it supports legitimate activities such as anonymous communication for activists, journalists, and whistleblowers, it is also infamous for illicit activities, including drug trafficking, illegal arms sales, and various forms of cybercrime.

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