Lyca Mobile blames cyber attack for network outage and service disruptions

Mobile virtual network operator Luca Mobile said it suffered a significant cyber attack that caused long-term network outage and disruption to customer services.

Last Friday, Lyca Mobile customers began complaining about being unable to make any mobile calls or send text messages. Customers also reported that they were unable to connect with Lyca’s customer support.

Many customers expressed their frustration on social media when they were unable to use the promised services including a PAC ( Port Authorisation Code) that is needed when a customer wants to move to a different service provider.

“Right, this has been going on 3 days now.  @LycamobileUK haven’t answered any tweets since last week. Just burying their heads in the sand. I can’t log in. I can’t renew my data bundle. They won’t let me port out. Time for @Ofcom to intervene, perhaps?” A Lyca Mobile customer posted on X after multiple failed PAC requests.

Acknowledging the reports of outage and service disruption, Lyca Mobile said that it suffered a significant cyber attack that caused the outage and service disruptions.

“Following investigations carried out as a result of disruption to our network, it has become clear that Lyca Mobile has been the victim of a cyber attack,” the MVNO said.

“We first became aware of issues over the weekend, which were preventing customers and retailers from accessing top-ups through our channels. It also impacted some national and international calling,” it added.

According to the official statement, the cyber security incident affected all Lyca Mobile markets apart from the United States, Australia, Ukraine and Tunisia.

“Our focus on our customers is paramount. We are working around the clock to ensure that the impact on them is minimised,” Lyca continued.

“Our number one priority is ensuring the safety and security of our customers’ data, and we are urgently investigating whether any personal information may have been compromised as part of this attack. We are confident that all our records are fully encrypted, and we will keep customers updated on the outcome of our investigation as we work with our expert partners to establish the facts,” the company said in its statement.

The company said that it is working with third party cyber security experts to resolve the situation and has notified relevant regulatory and law enforcement authorities about the incident.  The company added that while most of its disrupted services are now operational, “there are some operational services that are yet to be fully resolved, but we are working hard to restore all functionality across all countries as quickly as possible.”

Commenting on the news, Mike Newman, CEO of My1Login, said, “This is an example of a cyberattack having very real and physical impacts on society. Last Friday, social media sites were awash with complaints from angry Lyca Mobile customers over their inability to send text messages and make calls. It is now clear this was caused by what looks like a massive cyberattack that impacted all of Lyca Mobile markets.

“At this early stage, it is unlikely Lyca Mobile will have a clear understanding of exactly what has happened, but it is clear the attackers managed to get deep enough into the service provider’s network to take down key services – this could indicate it was ransomware Lyca Mobile was dealing with. However, the company has reported that its data is encrypted, so hopefully this means attackers won’t have been able to reach anything which puts customers at risk.

“The attack is another reminder that there is no immunity from cybercrime today. Attackers have a long target list and there is a high chance you are on it. This means improving defences must be a priority,” he added.