- Colt says systems are being restored but admits service impact across parts of Europe.
- Security teams and external partners are investigating the scale and entry point of the breach.
What happened: Network provider hit by major cyber incident
Colt Technology Services confirmed that a cyberattack forced sections of its network offline, interrupting connectivity for enterprise clients across Europe. The firm stressed that recovery work is under way and that external security experts are helping trace the source.
TechRadar Pro reported the attack began on 12 August and kept parts of Colt’s IT infrastructure offline for days. BleepingComputer said the WarLock ransomware gang has claimed responsibility and is offering internal company files for sale. Colt has not confirmed whether ransomware was involved and has not disclosed what customer data, if any, was compromised.
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Why it’s important
The case underlines how telecom operators—sitting at the heart of enterprise networking and cloud access—remain prime targets for cybercriminals. Colt must now not only restore service stability but also convince customers it has learned lessons from the breach. The episode may strengthen arguments for tougher resilience rules covering carriers that route critical data traffic.
Unresolved questions remain. Was sensitive customer information taken, were backup systems robust enough, and what fines could follow if regulators find GDPR obligations were broken? Until those details emerge, the attack shows how mid-tier carriers are exposed: neither hyperscalers nor end-users, but still controlling vital points in the global data chain.
