MTN Reports Cybersecurity Breach: Customer Data in Select Markets Affected

Africa’s largest mobile operator, MTN Group, has confirmed a cybersecurity breach that resulted in unauthorized access to customer personal information in certain markets. The telecom giant, which operates in Nigeria and 15 other countries across Africa and the Middle East, did not disclose specific affected regions.

Scope of the Breach

In a statement released late Thursday, MTN clarified that the incident did not compromise its core network, billing systems, or financial services infrastructure, all of which remain secure and fully operational. The breach involved a third party gaining access to parts of its systems, raising concerns about potential data exposure.

“At this stage, we do not have any information to suggest that customers’ accounts and wallets have been directly compromised,” the company stated.

Immediate Response and Ongoing Investigations

Upon discovering the breach, MTN swiftly activated its cybersecurity response protocols. The company has notified law enforcement authorities in South Africa, including the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hawks, as well as relevant regulatory agencies in affected countries.

MTN is cooperating with authorities as investigations continue and is in the process of notifying affected customers in compliance with local regulations.

Customer Security Recommendations

As a precaution, MTN has advised customers to take the following cybersecurity measures:

• Place a fraud alert on credit reports with major credit bureaus
• Regularly update MTN, MoMo, and banking applications
• Use strong, unique passwords and change them frequently
• Avoid suspicious links and messages
• Never disclose sensitive information (passwords, PINs, OTPs) via phone, SMS, or email
• Enable multifactor authentication where available

“We remain committed to safeguarding the integrity of our systems and the trust placed in us by our customers and other stakeholders,” MTN emphasized.

Growing Cybersecurity Threats in Telecom

The MTN breach occurs amid increasing cybersecurity threats targeting telecom and financial service providers globally:

• South Korea’s largest mobile operator, SK Telecom, recently warned of a malware infection compromising USIM-related customer information
• The attack was detected during a weekend when most organizations are understaffed, highlighting vulnerabilities in off-hours security

MTN has assured stakeholders it is managing the situation carefully and will provide updates as more information becomes available.

Full credit to the original publisher: Nairametrics