Airline data breach: Companies alert employees of widespread information exposure.
American Airlines and Southwest Airlines Alert Staff of Cybersecurity Threat
American Airlines and Southwest Airlines staff were recently notified of a cybersecurity threat that occurred earlier this year. Both companies revealed that a third-party vendor’s systems were breached on April 30. The airlines became aware of the breach on May 3 and began sending letters to affected staff on Friday. The data breach: Companies alert employees of widespread information exposure.”>data breach exposed sensitive information
such as names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, dates of birth, Airman Certificate numbers, and other government-issued identification numbers of pilots and other employees. American Airlines reported that 5,745 employees were affected, while Southwest Airlines reported 3,009.Stimulus Check Update: Direct Payment Worth $250 Scheduled to be Sent in Seven Days
It is yet to be determined if the third-party vendor involved in the data breach of both airlines is the same company. Southwest Airlines’ law firm, Norton Rose Fulbright, did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
Both companies have assured that their own systems were not compromised. Southwest Airlines has also pledged to discontinue its partnership with the third-party vendor. American Airlines, on the other hand, did not confirm or deny whether they will continue working with the vendor, as stated in their response to the Washington Examiner.
Click here to read more from the Washington Examiner.
“At this time, we have no evidence to suggest that the affected information was targeted or misused for purposes of fraud or identity theft,” read the letter sent to Southwest employees. American Airlines employees received a similar message with different wording.
As a gesture of reparation, American Airlines has provided affected staff with a two-year membership to Experian’s IdentityWorksSM Credit 3B, while Southwest Airlines has offered the Equifax Complete Premier equivalent. These memberships can assist in restoring the identities of those who may fall victim to identity theft in the future.
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