Japan Airlines has announced that an Amadeus-linked data breach affected over 90,000 customers. The incident came to light after several companies in Japan recently fell victim to cyberattacks. On October 27, Sony Network Communications announced that a data breach led to the theft of the data of 2.5 million people.
According to their website, Japan Airlines confirmed approximately 92,000 customers were affected after hackers accessed information held by Amadeus Group. The Amadeus IT Group is a travel technology company that provides software, reservation systems, and digital solutions for the global travel and tourism industry. Amadeus is one of Japan Airlines’ key partners.
In a recent statement, Japan Airlines said hackers accessed customer reservation data linked to the airline. According to the statement, the hackers accessed customer names, reservation codes, and flight details. Specifically, hackers accessed the reservation code (PNR), name, flight date, flight sector, and class of service of 90,000 customers.
In addition, 2,000 customers had their email addresses, phone numbers, passport numbers, nationalities, frequent flyer numbers, airline names, flight numbers, ticket numbers, seat numbers, etc. accessed. Apart from Japan Airlines and Sony Network Communications, a cyber attack on Burger King in Japan affected about 11 million people, per Safestale.
Japan Airlines reveals if Amadeus-linked data breach led to any misuse
Hacking and accessing customer data is a major concern for any company. Beyond the hit to a company’s reputation, the biggest risk of a customer data breach is hackers misusing the data. Such an event could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and targeted scams, which can be highly traumatic for a lot of customers.
In its detailed statement about the incident, Japan Airlines revealed whether the Amadeus-linked data breach led to any misuse. According to the statement, Amadeus has not reported any misuse yet. The statement read:
Amadeus has already completed the necessary security measures, and there is currently no evidence to suggest that any customer information has been misused. In addition, this incident has no impact on our flight operations. We sincerely apologize for any concern and inconvenience this situation may cause to our customers and all parties involved.”
The statement also outlined further actions Japan Airlines has taken. The airline said it has contacted affected customers via the email address given at the time of booking. Furthermore, the airline also asked passengers to stay cautious against phishing emails, fraudulent phone calls, and suspicious websites.
