Iranian hacker group claims responsibility for Dallas internet outage, AT&T blames cable theft

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FOX 4
Published September 9, 2026 3:08 PM CDT

The Brief

    • An Iranian-linked hacker group claims it knocked out AT&T internet service across parts of Dallas, but AT&T says the outage was caused by an attempted cable theft in Dallas.
    • Cybersecurity experts warn that infrastructure systems controlling water, energy, and power remain vulnerable to real cyber threats regardless of this specific claim.
    • AT&T reports service in Dallas is running normally and says it continues to monitor its network and review information.

DALLAS - An Iranian-linked hacking group is claiming it knocked out AT&T's internet service across parts of Dallas for hours on Monday, but the company says that is not what happened.

Hacker claim vs. cable theft

What we know:

An Iranian-linked group known as APT Iran claimed responsibility for a multi-hour AT&T internet outage across parts of Texas on Monday. 

However, AT&T issued a statement saying it has "no evidence to support that claim." Instead, the company said the outage was caused by an attempted cable theft.

Service across Dallas is back up and running normally. AT&T added that it is continuing to monitor its network and review information.

Cybersecurity expert warns of infrastructure threats

What they're saying:

While AT&T denies a cyberattack caused Monday's outage, APT Iran has issued broader threats against U.S. water, energy, and telecommunication infrastructure. 

Former FBI and cybersecurity expert Mary N. Cheney, who is now the CEO of MNC Cybersecurity Workforce Hub, said those physical and operational systems can be highly vulnerable.

"When you start talking about operational technology and you start talking about systems that actually go into the real world, it's there and it's always there," Cheney said. "And the most vulnerable systems are those that are controlling water, power, transportation."

Everyday infrastructure relies heavily on internet-connected operational technology, meaning threats to telecom networks can have widespread effects. Cheney noted that the general public often underestimates these vulnerabilities, adding that investigating actual cyberattacks takes time.

"I think the everyday person doesn't really realize how vulnerable we are as a country, because we rely on the internet so much," she said. "Whether it's Iran or whether it's not Iran, are we still vulnerable? Absolutely, yes, we are."

The Source: The information in this article comes from a statement provided by AT&T and an interview with Mary Cheney, the CEO of MNC Cybersecurity Workforce Hub and a former FBI cybersecurity expert.

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