BA customer data at risk after airline cyber hack
BA customer data at risk after airline cyber hack
The UK flag carrier warned some of its executive club members’ information has been impacted by the attack
By
Louise Moon
5 March 2021 • 8:13pm
British Airways members may have had their data hacked after a “highly sophisticated” cyber attack on an IT systems operator used by airlines.
In an email on Friday, the UK flag carrier warned that “some” of its executive club members’ “names, membership numbers and some of their preferences, such as seating, has been impacted” via information it shares with partner airlines.
Switzerland-based Sita, which runs passenger processing systems for services such as ticketing and baggage control, said on Friday that it fell victim to a breach of passengers’ data held on its servers on Feb 24.
BA stressed it does not use Sita’s systems for bookings and reservations, adding that neither customers’ financial information nor passwords were affected, as the IT firm does not have access to them. “Please be reassured that this incident was not a breach of British Airways’ systems,” it said.
The airline advised executive members to reset their account passwords as a precaution.
Sita - which operated in more than 200 countries - said it took “immediate action” to inform customers of the attack.
Finnair, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Malaysia Airlines, Japan Airlines and South Korea’s Jeju Air have all told customers they have been affected. It is not clear how many people’s information was compromised, or the exact data taken.
The UK flag carrier warned some of its executive club members’ information has been impacted by the attack
By
Louise Moon
5 March 2021 • 8:13pm
British Airways members may have had their data hacked after a “highly sophisticated” cyber attack on an IT systems operator used by airlines.
In an email on Friday, the UK flag carrier warned that “some” of its executive club members’ “names, membership numbers and some of their preferences, such as seating, has been impacted” via information it shares with partner airlines.
Switzerland-based Sita, which runs passenger processing systems for services such as ticketing and baggage control, said on Friday that it fell victim to a breach of passengers’ data held on its servers on Feb 24.
BA stressed it does not use Sita’s systems for bookings and reservations, adding that neither customers’ financial information nor passwords were affected, as the IT firm does not have access to them. “Please be reassured that this incident was not a breach of British Airways’ systems,” it said.
The airline advised executive members to reset their account passwords as a precaution.
Sita - which operated in more than 200 countries - said it took “immediate action” to inform customers of the attack.
Finnair, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Malaysia Airlines, Japan Airlines and South Korea’s Jeju Air have all told customers they have been affected. It is not clear how many people’s information was compromised, or the exact data taken.
