Telus Digital has confirmed it suffered a cybersecurity incident following claims by hackers that they stole nearly one petabyte (1,000 terabytes) of data during a months-long breach.
The subsidiary of Telus provides outsourced business services like customer support, AI data training, and content moderation for global brands.
The breach was first brought to light by BleepingComputer, which reported that the notorious hacking group ShinyHunters is behind the attack. Since Telus Digital manages sensitive billing and authentication tools for multiple brands, they are prime targets for hackers looking to hit several companies at once.
According to details shared with BleepingComputer, ShinyHunters claims they allegedly used Google Cloud Platform credentials found within data stolen during a previous breach at Salesloft Drift to gain access. Once inside, the hackers reportedly accessed a massive BigQuery database and used a tool called trufflehog to scan for even more passwords.
This allowed them to move deeper into internal systems to allegedly steal customer support records, voice recordings of calls, financial information, and even FBI background checks.
The hackers reportedly began extorting Telus in February, demanding a massive $65 million ransom to keep the data private. However, sources told BleepingComputer that Telus has refused to engage with the group.
In a statement to the publication, Telus confirmed it is investigating unauthorized access to a limited number of systems but noted that business operations remain fully functional with no evidence of disruption to customer connectivity. The company is now working with law enforcement and forensics experts to notify impacted customers.
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