Patriot Mobile, a U.S.-based cell carrier, has confirmed a data breach compromising the personal information of its subscribers. The breach, which includes full names, email addresses, home ZIP codes, and account PINs, affects the company’s subscriber base of fewer than 100,000 customers. This incident was uncovered by TechCrunch, which also verified the authenticity of the stolen data.
Patriot Mobile, known as “America’s only Christian conservative wireless provider,” is dedicated to defending constitutional rights and promoting conservative values. The company’s website features endorsements from former Fox News host Glenn Beck, and ex-Trump administration officials Sebastian Gorka and Steve Bannon. Recently, Patriot Mobile has invested substantial amounts in support of conservative candidates and causes in Texas.
A hacker claiming responsibility for the breach provided TechCrunch with a sample of the stolen data, which matched data inadvertently exposed by a bug on Patriot Mobile’s public website. Despite multiple requests, the company has not issued a public comment regarding the breach.
Operating as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), Patriot Mobile does not own its network infrastructure but leases access from major carriers AT&T and T-Mobile.
The breach at Patriot Mobile follows closely on the heels of another significant data theft incident involving AT&T, the largest cell phone provider in the U.S. Last month, AT&T confirmed a massive data breach from several years prior, leading to the reset of account passcodes for millions of customers after TechCrunch revealed that the leaked data contained easily decryptable passcodes.
