Technology
Fiber broadband giant investigates breach affecting 1M users
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Brightspeed, one of the largest fiber broadband providers in the United States, is investigating claims that hackers stole sensitive data tied to more than 1 million customers.
The allegations surfaced when a group calling itself the Crimson Collective posted messages on Telegram warning Brightspeed employees to check their email. The group claims it has access to over 1 million residential customer records and threatened to release sample data if the company does not respond.
At this point, Brightspeed has not confirmed a breach. However, the company says it is actively investigating what it calls a potential cybersecurity event.
DATA BREACH EXPOSES 400,000 BANK CUSTOMERS’ INFO
Fiber networks carry massive amounts of personal data, which makes internet providers attractive targets for extortion groups. (Philip Dulian/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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What the hackers say they stole
According to Crimson Collective, the stolen data includes a wide range of personally identifiable information. The group claims it has access to:
- Customer names, email addresses and phone numbers
- Home and billing addresses
- User account details linked to session or user IDs
- Payment history and partial payment card information
- Appointment and order records tied to customer accounts
If accurate, that combination of data could create serious identity theft and fraud risks for affected customers.
Brightspeed responds to the allegations
Brightspeed says it takes the situation seriously, even as it continues to verify the claims.
In a statement shared with BleepingComputer, the company said it is rigorously monitoring threats and working to understand what happened. Brightspeed added that it will keep customers, employees and authorities informed as more details become available.
So far, there has been no public notice on Brightspeed’s website or social media channels confirming customer data exposure.
Who Brightspeed is and why this matters
Brightspeed is a U.S. telecommunications and internet service provider founded in 2022 after Apollo Global Management acquired local exchange assets from Lumen Technologies.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company serves rural and suburban communities across 20 states. It has rapidly expanded its fiber footprint, passing more than 2 million homes and businesses and aiming to reach over 5 million locations.
Because Brightspeed focuses on underserved areas, many customers rely on it as their primary internet provider. That makes any potential breach especially concerning.
A closer look at Crimson Collective
Crimson Collective is not new to high-profile targets. In October, the group breached a GitLab instance tied to Red Hat, stealing hundreds of gigabytes of internal development data.
That incident later rippled outward. In December, Nissan confirmed that personal data for about 21,000 Japanese customers was exposed through the same breach.
More recently, researchers say Crimson Collective has targeted cloud environments, including Amazon Web Services, by abusing exposed credentials and creating rogue access accounts to escalate privileges.
In other words, the group has a track record that makes its claims hard to ignore.
What this could mean for customers
Even though Brightspeed has not confirmed a breach, the claims alone are enough to raise red flags. If customer data was accessed, it could be used for phishing scams, account takeovers or payment fraud.
Cybercriminals often move fast after breaches. That means customers should stay alert even before an official notice appears.
CyberGuy reached out to Brightspeed for comment, and a spokesperson told us,
“We take the security of our networks and protection of our customers’ and employees’ information seriously and are rigorous in securing our networks and monitoring threats. We are currently investigating reports of a cybersecurity event. As we learn more, we will keep our customers, employees, stakeholders and authorities informed.”
JANUARY SCAMS SURGE: WHY FRAUD SPIKES AT THE START OF THE YEAR
How to protect your personal data and online accounts
Even if this Brightspeed investigation does not end up impacting your account, these steps are worth following. Most data breaches lead to the same downstream risks, like phishing scams, account takeovers and identity theft. Building these habits now can help protect you across all your online accounts.
Cybercriminals often use public posts and countdowns to pressure companies into responding quickly. (Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images)
1) Watch for phishing attempts
Scammers often take advantage of breach headlines to create panic. Be cautious with emails, calls or texts that mention your internet account billing problems or service changes. If a message pushes urgency or pressure, pause before responding.
2) Avoid suspicious links and attachments
Do not click links or open attachments tied to account notices or payment issues. Instead, open a new browser window and go directly to the company’s official website or app. Strong antivirus software adds another layer of protection against malicious downloads.
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
3) Update your account passwords
Change your Brightspeed account password and review passwords on other important accounts. Use strong, unique passwords that you do not reuse elsewhere. A trusted password manager can generate and store complex passwords, which makes account takeovers much harder.
Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com/Passwords) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.
Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com
4) Reduce your data footprint
Personal data spreads quietly across data broker sites. Using a data removal service can help limit how much of your information is publicly available. Less exposed data means fewer opportunities for scammers to target you.
While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com
5) Turn on account alerts
Brightspeed lets customers turn on account and billing alerts through the My Brightspeed site or app. You can choose which notifications you receive by email or text. Alerts can help you catch unusual activity early and respond before more damage occurs.
6) Monitor your financial accounts closely
Check bank and credit card statements often. Look for small or unfamiliar charges since criminals sometimes test stolen data with low-dollar transactions before attempting larger fraud.
7) Consider fraud alerts or a credit freeze
If sensitive information may have been exposed, placing a fraud alert or credit freeze can add protection. These steps make it harder for criminals to open new accounts in your name. To learn more about how to do this, go to Cyberguy.com and search “How to freeze your credit.”
You may also want to consider an identity theft protection service that monitors for suspicious activity and sends alerts. Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number (SSN), phone number, and email address, and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.
See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com
When personal and billing information is exposed, the risk extends beyond one company to everyday customers. (Pixelfit/Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Brightspeed’s investigation is still unfolding, and the company says it will share updates as it learns more. Until then, the claims highlight how valuable customer data has become and how aggressively extortion groups are targeting infrastructure providers. For customers, caution is the best defense. For companies, transparency and speed will matter if these claims turn out to be real.
Do you feel companies are doing enough to keep your personal data safe? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.
In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.
Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.
You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.
Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”
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If you bought a newer iPhone because Apple made Siri sound like it was about to become your personal artificial intelligence sidekick, you may want to pay attention.
Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over claims that it misled customers about new Apple Intelligence and Siri features. The case centers on the iPhone 16 launch and certain iPhone 15 models that were marketed as ready for Apple’s next wave of AI. The settlement still needs court approval, and Apple denies wrongdoing.
The lawsuit argues that Apple promoted a smarter, more personal Siri before those features were actually available. For some buyers, that was a big deal. A new iPhone can cost hundreds of dollars, and many people upgrade only when they think they are getting something meaningfully new.
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WHY IPHONE USERS ARE THE NEW PRIME SCAM TARGETS
U.S. buyers of certain iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models may qualify for payments if a judge approves Apple’s proposed settlement. (Getty Images)
What Apple is accused of promising
Apple introduced Apple Intelligence in June 2024 and promoted it as a major step forward for iPhone, iPad and Mac. A key part of that pitch was a more personalized Siri that could understand context, work across apps and help with everyday tasks in a more useful way.
The lawsuit claims Apple’s marketing made consumers believe those advanced Siri features would arrive with the iPhone 16 or soon after. Instead, buyers received phones that had some Apple Intelligence tools, but not the full Siri overhaul that many expected.
That gap is the heart of the case. Plaintiffs say customers bought or upgraded devices based on AI features that were not ready. Apple says it has rolled out many Apple Intelligence features and settled the case, so it can stay focused on its products.
How much money could iPhone owners get?
The proposed settlement creates a $250 million fund. Eligible customers who file approved claims are expected to receive at least $25 per eligible device. That amount could rise to as much as $95 per device, depending on how many people file claims and other settlement factors.
That means this will not be a huge payday for most people. Still, if you bought one of the covered phones, it may be worth watching for a claim notice. A few minutes of paperwork could put some money back in your pocket.
Which iPhones may qualify?
The proposed settlement covers U.S. buyers who purchased any iPhone 16 model, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.
Covered iPhone 16 models include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16e. The settlement also includes the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but not every iPhone 15 model.
The key details are the device model, the purchase date and whether the phone was bought in the United States.
HOW YOU CAN GET A SLICE OF APPLE’S $250M IPHONE SETTLEMENT
Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle claims it misled customers about Apple Intelligence and Siri features on newer iPhones. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg)
How will you file a claim?
You do not need to do anything immediately. The settlement still needs a judge’s approval. Once the claims process opens, eligible customers are expected to receive a notice by email or mail with instructions on how to file through a settlement website.
That notice matters because scammers love moments like this. A real settlement notice should not ask for your Apple ID password, bank login or payment to claim your money. If you receive a message about this settlement, do not click blindly. Go slowly, check the sender and look for the official settlement administrator details once they are available.
Why this case matters beyond one Siri feature
This case hits a bigger nerve. Tech companies are racing to sell AI as the next must-have feature. That creates a problem for shoppers. You are often asked to buy now based on what a company says will arrive later.
That can be frustrating when the feature is the reason you upgraded. A smarter Siri sounds useful. A phone that can understand your personal context, search across apps and help with daily tasks could save time. But if those tools are delayed, limited or missing, the value of the upgrade changes.
This settlement also sends a message about AI marketing. Companies can talk about future features, but consumers need clear timing and plain explanations. “Coming soon” can mean very different things when you are spending $800, $1,000 or more.
We reached out to Apple for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.
FIRST 15 THINGS TO DO OR TRY FIRST WHEN YOU GET A NEW IPHONE
Apple denies wrongdoing but agreed to settle claims tied to its marketing of Apple Intelligence and Siri features. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)
What this means to you
If you bought a covered iPhone during the settlement period, keep an eye on your email and regular mail. You may qualify for a payment if the court approves the deal.
You should also keep your receipt or proof of purchase if you have it. Your Apple purchase history, carrier account or retailer receipt may help if the claim process asks for details.
More broadly, this is a reminder to treat AI features like any other big tech promise. Before you upgrade, ask one simple question: Can the feature do what is being advertised today, or is the company asking me to wait?
That question can save you from buying a device for a future feature that may arrive much later than expected.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Apple has built its brand on making technology feel polished, personal and easy to use. That is why this Siri settlement hits a nerve. People were buying phones they use every day for texts, photos, directions, reminders and everything in between. Many expected AI to make those everyday tasks easier, which is why the delay felt frustrating. The proposed payout may be modest, but the bigger issue is trust. When a company sells AI as a reason to upgrade, customers deserve to know what actually works now and what is still coming later.
Would you still buy a new phone for promised AI features, or would you wait until they actually show up? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
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- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Instagram is once again cribbing from competitors like Snapchat and BeReal with a new photo-sharing format it calls “Instants,” which are ephemeral photos that you can’t edit and that you can only share with your close friends or followers that follow you back. Instants are available globally beginning on Wednesday as a feature in the inbox in the Instagram app and as a separate app that’s now in testing in select countries.
To access Instants from the Instagram app, go to your DM inbox and look in the bottom-right corner for an icon or a stack of photos. After you post a photo, your friends can emoji react to it and send a reply to your DMs, but after they see it, the photo disappears for them. Instants also disappear after 24 hours, and they can’t be captured in screenshots or screen recordings.
However, your Instants will remain in an archive for you for up to a year, and you can reshare them as a recap to your Instagram Stories if you’d like. You can also undo sending an Instant right after you post it or delete it from your archive.
The Instants mobile app, which popped up in Italy and Spain in April, gives you “immediate access to the camera” and only requires an Instagram account, Instagram says. “Instants you share on the separate app will show up for friends on Instagram and vice versa. We’re trying this separate app out to see how our community uses it, and we’ll continue to evolve it as we learn more.”
Instagram, in its testing, has seen that people “tend to use Instants to share much more casual, much more authentic moments about their day,” according to Instagram boss Adam Mosseri. “And we know that this type of sharing of personal moments with friends is a core part of what makes Instagram Instagram, but we also know that a lot of people don’t really share a lot to their profile grids anymore.”
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