DISH Network said a February 23, 2023, outage affecting internal servers and IT telephony was caused by a cybersecurity incident; its February 28 SEC filing referred to the ransomware attack. Internal communications, customer call centers and websites were affected, but DISH TV, Sling TV, wireless services and data networks continued operating.
What happened in the DISH Network outage?
DISH announced the outage on February 23, 2023, saying internal servers and IT telephony were affected. The company said it activated incident-response and business-continuity plans, brought in cybersecurity experts and outside advisers, and notified law enforcement after determining the outage was due to a cybersecurity incident.
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In its February 28, 2023, SEC filing, DISH used the term “ransomware attack” in forward-looking language about the incident. The filing’s direct description said: “The Corporation has determined that the outage was due to a cyber-security incident and notified appropriate law enforcement authorities.” DISH Network’s Form 8-K also said the company became aware on February 27 that some data had been extracted from its IT systems.
Which DISH services and systems were affected?
The incident affected internal communications, customer call centers and internet sites. In practical terms, customers reported difficulty reaching service desks, accessing accounts and making payments, according to the Associated Press’s March 1, 2023, report.
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DISH said its customer-facing television and network services remained operational. A company spokesperson told The Desk: “Our Dish TV, Sling TV, Wireless services, and data networks continue to operate and are up and running.” The Associated Press also reported that DISH TV was operating during the disruption.
What information was taken?
DISH’s later account, in its 2023 Form 10-K filed in 2024, said its investigation found that customer databases were not accessed. The company said data extracted from its IT systems included employee-related records and a limited number of other records containing personal information. It did not state a total number of affected people or records in the findings summarized in that filing.
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DISH said it took steps to protect affected records, received confirmation that the extracted data had been deleted, and notified individuals whose information was extracted. These findings distinguish data taken from IT systems from access to customer databases: DISH said the latter did not occur. The company’s 2023 Form 10-K contains its retrospective account.
When were systems restored?
DISH reported that all significant systems had been restored as of March 31, 2023. Its later filing also said DISH TV, Sling TV, Retail Wireless, and its wireless and data networks remained operational throughout the incident.
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What did DISH not disclose about the attack?
The company’s filings reviewed here do not identify the attacker, explain how the attackers first gained access, state whether a ransom was demanded or paid, or say how long the attackers were in the network. The Associated Press reported on March 1, 2023, that DISH did not answer its questions about the criminal group, ransom, payment or access duration. Those details remain undisclosed in the cited accounts.
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