Personal data of approximately 8.7 million customers of three major UK airports was exposed due to a cyber incident, confirmed the operator company Manchester Airport Group (MAG).
The group, which manages the airports of Manchester, London Stansted, and East Midlands, assured the public that “passenger safety or aviation security was never compromised.” The company also noted that customers’ payment or banking details were not accessed by third parties.
What data was accessed
According to available information, the breach primarily involved email addresses collected during Wi‑Fi registration in the terminals. In addition, phone numbers, vehicle registration numbers and postal codes linked to airport bookings were also accessed.
The flight schedules and terminal operations at all three airports remained unchanged. A MAG representative stated on Thursday that “Manchester Airports Group fell victim to a cyber incident caused by an unauthorized third party.”
“A certain amount of customer data related to parking, lounge and Fast Track service bookings, as well as registrations in the Wi‑Fi networks of Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports, was exposed,” reported the spokesperson.
According to the spokesperson, the company “immediately contained the risk” and began working with specialized consultants, taking necessary measures to protect customers and its systems. MAG also reported the incident to the relevant authorities and is cooperating with them.
The company emphasized that the incident did not cause any disruptions in airport operations. “Passenger safety or aviation security was never compromised. Airport operations were not affected, and customer parking services continue to operate normally,” noted the MAG representative.
Banking data was not affected
The spokesperson also stressed that neither MAG nor the compromised system contains customers’ banking or payment details. Among the data that were exposed are email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registration numbers and postal codes.
Manchester Airport Group stated that it takes the security of customer information very seriously and apologized for any inconvenience or concern caused by the incident.
Джерело: The Independent UK
