Verizon issued a pretty stunning statement concerning the Yahoo breach

You don't see corporate statements like this every day.
 By 
Jason Abbruzzese
 on 
Verizon issued a pretty stunning statement concerning the Yahoo breach
Credit: Getty Images/Tetra images RF

You don't see corporate statements like this every day.

On Thursday, Yahoo admitted that a data breach in 2014 ended up with the theft of far more user data than had been previously thought. By Yahoo's count, some 500 million user accounts had at least some information stolen.

That's news to Verizon, the company that acquired Yahoo's core business in July for $4.83 billion but has not yet finalized the acquisition.


You May Also Like

When reached for comment, Verizon released a pretty stunning statement, claiming it had not been aware of the breach until very recently.

Within the last two days, we were notified of Yahoo's security incident.  We understand that Yahoo is conducting an active investigation of this matter, but we otherwise have limited information and understanding of the impact.  We will evaluate as the investigation continues through the lens of overall Verizon interests, including consumers, customers, shareholders and related communities. Until then, we are not in position to further comment.

Corporate statements tend to be very dry and say as little as possible. This is not one of those statements.

Among the surprising details, Verizon is claiming that Yahoo only provided notification of the breach in the last two days. TWO DAYS. Yahoo has had a deal with Verizon for an acquisition for two months.

Next, Verizon said that even now, the company doesn't really know what's going on. I'm sure it knows more than we do at this point, but you'd imagine that with almost $5 billion on the line, there would be a healthy amount of transparency.

Lastly, Verizon is making it clear — it's going to look at this situation and figure out what's best for the company and its shareholders. Shareholders is the key point here. If Verizon determines that the damage done to Yahoo by this breach (and how the company has handled it) means it overpaid for Yahoo, it could consider backing out of the deal.

Acquisition agreements almost always have various clauses about being able to back out of deals for certain extenuating circumstances — for instance if a regulator blocks the deal.

Yahoo has not responded to a request for comment, and Verizon isn't saying anything beyond the already strong statement it put out.

There's a decent chance, however, that Verizon could be looking to get out of its deal. Kara Swisher at Recode, who is arguably the most well-sourced reporter on Yahoo, has said the announcement has "huge implications" for the Verizon deal.

It's worth pointing out that the deal is not yet done. Verizon and Yahoo have an agreement for an acquisition. There is then a time period in which regulators analyze the transaction, lawyers work out some of the details, accountants run the books and strategists figure out how to combine the two companies.

Think of it like a marriage. Verizon and Yahoo are engaged. But the wedding could still be called off.

Mashable Image
Jason Abbruzzese

Jason Abbruzzese is a Business Reporter at Mashable. He covers the media and telecom industries with a particular focus on how the Internet is changing these markets and impacting consumers. Prior to working at Mashable, Jason served as Markets Reporter and Web Producer at the Financial Times. Jason holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University and an M.A. in International Affairs from Australian National University.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Verizon breaks silence on massive outage. Here's what they said.
a person with an umbrella walks past a verizon store on a rainy day

Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile outages reported: Which services are down right now
In this photo illustration, the logo of Verizon is seen displayed on the screen of a tablet

Verizon outage map: How to check your area
Hands hold a mobile phone


Verizon outage cause revealed
A shot of a tall building from below, with a red Verizon sign on its facade.

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone


NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 2, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!