Air Europa, one of Europe’s most prominent airline companies, notified its customers about a potential data leak.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the incident came to light in October 2023, when Air Europa uncovered that sensitive customer data suffered compromise to what seems to be a cyberattack. This revelation raised concerns throughout the aviation industry, putting speculations on the overall security of personal information stored by airline companies.
This company, acquired by the Anglo-Spanish multinational airline holding firm International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) in 2023, immediately addressed the data breach.
IAG has reportedly sent out breach notification emails to potentially affected individuals, informing them that the breach could have exposed various details, such as their names, dates of birth, nationalities, ID cards, passport information, and phone numbers.
However, the affected airline has yet to determine the scale of the breach entirely since they wanted it to be precise as they provide service to approximately 12 million people annually.
Despite these concerns, Air Europa reassured customers in the notification email that they had not found evidence of the leaked data being misused on the dark web. Still, the possibility of such misuse raises severe concerns about the security and integrity of personal information.
The Air Europa data breach is the latest addition to the increasing number of cyberattacks against the aviation industry.
The Air Europa incident is the newest cyberattack that targets the aviation landscape. Earlier this year, AerCap, one of the world’s largest aircraft leasing firms, fell victim to a ransomware attack, resulting in the theft of sensitive corporate information.
Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, confirmed a data breach in late November last year, too.
In response to these incidents, experts urge industry stakeholders to fortify their cybersecurity measures and remain knowledgeable against emerging threats since the aviation sector increasingly relies on digital systems and data-driven technologies.
As the investigation into the Air Europa data breach continues, the incident is another example of the importance of protecting sensitive data. Airlines must prioritise cybersecurity and invest in competent defence mechanisms to protect their customers and reputations.
