Data of 8.7 million users stolen in cyberattacks on three UK airports

Data belonging to 8.7 million users were stolen after a cyberattack on three airports in the United Kingdom, Manchester Airports Group (MAG) said.

Scope of the breach

MAG reported that the compromised information included email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registration plates and postcodes. The company said the data related to parking bookings, lounge access, Fast Track services and registrations for airport Wi‑Fi at Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports.

"The Manchester Airports Group was the target of a cyber security incident caused by an unauthorised third party," said an MAG spokesperson. The group also stated that "Passenger and aviation security was not at any time compromised."

MAG has not provided further public details about the identity of the attackers or whether the stolen data have been published or offered for sale. The operator said it became aware of the incident after detecting unauthorised access to certain customer information linked to the services named above.

Airport operators typically notify affected customers and advise steps to protect against fraud, such as monitoring accounts and changing passwords. MAG has not outlined the exact mitigation actions it is offering to those whose information was accessed.

Authorities in the UK may investigate large-scale breaches of this kind and companies affected by data theft often face regulatory scrutiny and possible enforcement action depending on the outcome of inquiries.

Photo: press material from the event