Millions of passengers hit in worst ever airline data hack


  • TECH
  • Thursday, 25 Oct 2018

A vintage Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. Douglas DC-3 aircraft sits next to signage for Cathay Pacific City, the company's headquarters, illuminated at night in Hong Kong, China, on Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018. Just when Hong Kong’s flagship airline was showing signs of a rebound, crude oil played spoilsport again, denting early gains from a transformation plan that Chief Executive Officer Rupert Hogg considers crucial to survival. Photographer: Paul Yeung/Bloomberg

Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said a hacker accessed personal information of 9.4 million customers, becoming the target of the world’s biggest airline data breach. 

The airline’s shares sank the most in almost two years, shaving US$201mil (RM837.82mil) off its market value, after the Hong Kong-based carrier disclosed the unauthorised access late Oct 24, seven months after discovering the violation. While passports, addresses and emails were exposed, flight safety wasn’t compromised and there was no evidence any information has been misused, it said, without revealing details of the origin of the attack. 

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