Cyberattack exposes data of 8.7m customers at three UK airports

Three major UK airports, including Manchester, London Stansted, and East Midlands, fell victim to a cyber-attack, with hackers gaining access to the personal data of approximately 8.7 million customers, according to The Guardian. Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which manages all three airports, disclosed that the stolen information included email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registration numbers, and postcodes.

The compromised data pertained to car park bookings, lounges, fast-track services, and in-airport Wi-Fi registrations. However, MAG reassured the public that the incident did not impact passenger safety or aviation security, nor did it result in operational disruptions. The affected system did not contain customers’ bank or payment details, and MAG has immediately contained the risk.

The group is collaborating with specialist advisers and implementing measures to secure its systems and customer information. MAG notified relevant authorities and acknowledged the incident as a serious breach of customer data security. London Stansted also cautioned customers against potential follow-up scams using the stolen data, advising them to be cautious of unsolicited communications claiming to be from the airport.

MAG apologized for any distress caused by the incident and emphasized the company's commitment to safeguarding customer information.