Copper Valley Telecom: Hacker Claims Unpaid Ransom Catalyst for Data Breach Exposure
A hacker has reached out with detailed accusations against Copper Valley Telecom Cooperative, Inc. (CVTC), alleging unpaid ransom as the cause for exposing a significant data breach. In two revealing emails, the hacker claimed that CVTC failed to fulfill their agreed-upon ransom payment, thus endangering the personal information of thousands of customers.
“The data wasn’t stolen. Thats important. I got it from the garbage.”
The First Email: Broken Promises and Unpaid Ransom
The hacker claims they initially offered to return the stolen data for $15,000. Despite their willingness to settle, CVTC allegedly refused to pay the remaining $2,500 and cut off communication. As a result, the breach exposed sensitive information, including millions of call logs, account PINs, passwords, internal emails, and state juvenile data. Frustrated by CVTC’s dishonesty and disregard for customer data security, the hacker decided to release the compromised data.
The Second Email: OPSEC Failures and Data Mishandling
In a follow-up email, the hacker outlined CVTC’s critical operational security (OPSEC) failures. They claimed to have retrieved the data from recklessly discarded servers, including hard drives. Criticizing CVTC’s lack of proper disposal protocols, they described it as the most significant OPSEC failure they had ever witnessed.
Despite multiple attempts to contact CVTC for the ransom payment, the hacker insisted they destroyed additional hard drives containing personal information and emphasized their initial intention to protect the data.
“purely a fluke and the single biggest failure of OPSEC I’ve ever seen”
The Breach Notification
CVTC notified 2,663 victims of the data breach, stating that they discovered the incident on November 21, 2024. However, they waited until January 2, 2025, to inform affected customers. The hacker’s disclosure exposes new details about the company’s response and the full extent of the breach, raising concerns about cybersecurity practices and transparency.
Bridging the Gap
The hacker has warned that they possess extensive amounts of compromised data and urged CVTC to honor the original agreement. They emphasized the need for organizations to uphold ethical standards and protect customer data adequately.
Copper Valley Telecom Cooperative’s Response
As of now, Copper Valley Telecom Cooperative has not commented on the hacker’s claims. The company’s response to the breach has been graded a “D” by industry experts, highlighting the need for improved cybersecurity measures and accountability.
Looking Ahead
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of proper data disposal and payment adherence to prevent further exposure of sensitive information. The cybersecurity community is closely monitoring developments and advocating for stronger protective measures.
Conclusion
The Copper Valley Telecom Cooperative (CVTC) data breach highlights the severe consequences of poor cybersecurity hygiene, failed negotiations, and reckless data disposal. Whether through intentional theft or negligence, the exposure of sensitive customer data has damaged trust in CVTC’s ability to protect its users. The hacker’s claims add a troubling layer to the incident, raising ethical concerns about corporate responsibility and the methods cybercriminals use.
Organizations must enforce strong security measures, implement strict OPSEC protocols, and respond to breaches with transparency and urgency. This incident serves as a warning for companies that neglect customer data protection—once trust is lost, restoring it becomes nearly impossible.
