Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which operates Manchester, East Midlands, and London Stansted, has confirmed a cyberattack that exposed the personal data of around 8.7 million customers. Hackers took contact details, vehicle registrations and postcodes over the weekend of August 22–23, then demanded a ransom for the data's return — which MAG refused to pay.
MAG only became aware on Tuesday, August 25, and says it cut off further access and notified affected customers. For the majority, the data was limited to the email address given when signing up to airport WiFi; the more detailed records came from car park, lounge, and fast-track bookings.
The hacked system didn't hold bank or payment card details, MAG says, and at no point was passenger safety or aviation security compromised. The group says it knows the hackers' identity and has informed the relevant authorities.
The Information Commissioner's Office has received MAG's breach report and says it is assessing the information provided. Affected customers should watch for suspicious emails, texts or calls, and avoid opening unknown attachments.
Source: BBC News