On February 28, 2023, DISH Network, LLC filed a notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission reporting that a recent “cyber-security incident” may have compromised confidential information in the company’s possession. News of the DISH Network breach only recently surfaced, and the company appears to be in the midst of the investigation; however, the SEC notice confirms that the incident involved a successful ransomware attack that resulted in certain information on the DISH Network IT system being compromised.
If you are a customer or employee of DISH Network, news of the recent data breach is certainly cause for concern. As we’ve reported in previous posts, ransomware actors organize these attacks to obtain sensitive information that they can then use to extort a company, hoping to secure a hefty ransom payment. If the company refuses to pay a ransom, the hackers will often post the stolen information on the Dark Web for anyone to access. This greatly increases the likelihood of victims being targeted by identity thieves and other criminal actors. However, victims of ransomware attacks may have a legal claim against a company that negligently stored their sensitive information.
What We Know So Far About the DISH Network Breach
The available information regarding the DISH Network breach comes from the company’s filing with the SEC as well as secondary news reports. According to these sources, on February 23, 2023, DISH Network experienced a network outage affecting the company’s internal servers and IT system. In response, the company secured its systems and began working with cyber-security experts and outside advisors to determine the scope of the incident.
While the DISH Network investigation is still underway, on February 27, 2023, the company confirmed that the outage was due to a cybersecurity incident, which DISH Network described as a ransomware attack. However, because the investigation is ongoing, the company has not yet confirmed what data types were compromised in the recent breach.
On February 28, 2023, DISH Network filed an SEC form 8-K describing the incident. That same day, the company also posted notice of the incident on its website.
More Information About DISH Network, LLC
Founded in 1980, DISH Network, LLC is a television and cable company based in Englewood, Colorado. The company’s main service is satellite television; however, DISH also owns Boost Mobile, Sling TV, and Dish Wireless. DISH Network is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol “DISH.” DISH Network employs more than 14,500 people and generates approximately $18 billion in annual revenue.
