Cyberattack on three UK airports exposes data of 8.7 million customers
MAG, operator of Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports, has confirmed a cyberattack compromised data belonging to about 8.7 million customers. The company says airport operations and passenger safety were not affected.
MAG, the operator of Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports, has confirmed that a cyberattack compromised the personal data of approximately 8.7 million customers. The exposed information includes email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registration numbers and postcodes.
The attack occurred over a weekend, though the operator only became aware of it on Tuesday. In its statement, MAG said the incident caused no operational disruption and that airport activities continued as normal. The company also stressed that passenger and aviation safety were never at risk, and that banking or payment details were not affected.
What data was affected
According to MAG, the stolen data relates mainly to bookings for parking, lounges and fast-track access, as well as registrations for airport Wi-Fi networks. The company attributed the breach to an "unauthorised third party" but did not provide further details about the nature of the attack or who might be responsible.
MAG said that once the breach was discovered, it acted immediately to limit the risk, working with specialist consultants and taking additional measures to protect customers and its systems.
Wider context
This is not the first major cyber incident to hit the UK recently. Last year the country saw a series of cyberattacks targeting companies including carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, as well as retailers Marks and Spencer, Harrods and the Co-op grocery chain.
