ADT adt.com ADT data breach: what happened and what to do
ADT confirmed unauthorized access to cloud systems on 20 April 2026. Have I Been Pwned lists 5,488,888 accounts with names, emails, phone numbers, addresses, dates of birth and partial government IDs. ADT says monitoring services were unaffected.
View all 13,115 breaches- Breach date
- 20 Apr 2026
- Made public
- 24 Apr 2026
- Affected
- 5,488,888
- Data exposed
- Dates of birth, Email addresses, Names, Partial government issued IDs, Phone numbers, Physical addresses
- Verified
- Yes
- Last updated
Source: Have I Been Pwned (CC BY 4.0)
What happened
ADT, the home security company, told the SEC in an 8-K filing dated 24 April 2026 that it became aware of unauthorized access to certain cloud-based environments on 20 April. Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) lists the breach date as 20 April 2026 and added it to its database on 27 April 2026, with 5,488,888 accounts.
ADT's filing says the investigation found that limited customer and prospective customer data was accessed. The company said it did not expect a material effect on its finances or operations, and that it was still working out the full scope. Separately, the extortion group ShinyHunters claimed it had stolen more than 10 million records and gave ADT a payment deadline. That number comes from the attackers, not from ADT or HIBP, and HIBP's count of 5,488,888 accounts is the figure to use.
What was exposed
HIBP lists names, email addresses, phone numbers, physical addresses, dates of birth and partial government issued IDs. In a statement, ADT said the exposed information was mostly names, phone numbers and addresses, with dates of birth and the last four digits of a Social Security number or tax ID in a small share of cases. ADT said no financial data was taken and that its home security and monitoring services were not affected.
Why this data is risky
The mix matters more than any single field. A home address tied to a security company tells a criminal that you have an alarm system, which is useful for a convincing scam call ("this is ADT, we've detected a problem with your system") and unpleasant to think about. A phone number lets them call or text you with that script. An email address gives them a second route.
The last four digits of a Social Security number are a standard identity check at banks, phone carriers and many customer service lines. On their own they don't open an account, but combined with your name, address and date of birth they help a criminal pass a security question or complete an account takeover. This is the real long-term risk for the small share of people with those fields included.
ADT's response
ADT said affected individuals were being notified directly and would be offered identity protection services where appropriate. Check your email and your postal mail for a notice, and look in spam, because breach notices from large companies often land there.
Who should pay attention
If you are or were an ADT customer, or if you ever requested a quote or signed up for a trial, you could be in this data set. The company's filing mentions prospective customers as well as customers. HIBP's check on your email address is the quickest way to find out. If your address appears, assume your name, phone number and home address are in criminal hands and that a date of birth or partial ID might be too.
The practical priorities are calls and texts that claim to be from your alarm company, and locking down your credit file if a date of birth or ID fragment was part of your record.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Be sceptical of calls and texts about your alarm
Scammers who know you use ADT can pretend to be ADT. Hang up, then call the number on your bill or in the official app. Never share a verification code or install software because someone on the phone asked.
- 2
Freeze your credit
If your date of birth or part of a Social Security number may be in the data, freeze your file at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It's free and stops new accounts being opened in your name. Lift it temporarily when you apply for credit.
- 3
Watch your statements and credit reports
Look for accounts or inquiries you don't recognize. You can pull free reports from each bureau, and take up the identity protection offer in your ADT notice if you got one.
- 4
Expect phishing that mentions your home or system
Treat any email or text that references your security system, a billing issue or a service visit as suspect until you verify it in the ADT app or on its website, typed in by hand.
- 5
Check whether your email or phone is in this and other breaches
Run a free scan at https://www.serus.ai. Serus monitors breach databases and the dark web and alerts you when your data appears, so you hear about the next one without searching for it.
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the ADT data breach?
Check your email address on Have I Been Pwned or use a free Serus scan. ADT also said it would notify affected individuals directly.
What data was exposed?
Have I Been Pwned lists names, email addresses, phone numbers, physical addresses, dates of birth and partial government issued IDs. ADT said no financial data was taken.
Is my home still protected by my alarm?
ADT said its home security and monitoring services were not affected by the incident.
How many accounts were in the ADT breach?
Have I Been Pwned lists 5,488,888 accounts. Attackers claimed a larger number, but that figure has not been confirmed by ADT.
Sources
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