Air Canada data breach may have compromised personal data of 20,000 mobile app users

• The data likely compromised includes users’ names, email addresses and phone numbers.
• Air Canada claims users’ credit card data was not accessed.

Canadian airline, Air Canada, confirmed that it suffered a data breach. The breach may have compromised the personal data of around 20,000 Air Canada mobile app users.

The data likely compromised includes users’ names, email addresses and phone numbers. Attackers may also have gained access to more sensitive information that may have been added to users’ profiles.

This information includes passport numbers, passport expiry dates, passport country of issuance, gender, dates of birth, nationality and country of residence. However, Air Canada claims that users’ credit card data has not been accessed.

“Your credit card information is protected. As a continued best practice, we recommend you should always monitor your credit card transactions and contact your financial services provider immediately if you become aware of any unusual or unauthorized activities,” Air Canada said in a statement.

The airline said that it discovered the breach between August 22 to 24, after the company noticed unusual login behavior on its mobile app. The firm claims that it took immediate action, blocking unauthorized login attempts and implementing an additional layer of security to prevent such attacks. Air Canada said that it has also locked mobile app accounts of all its 1.7 million users in order to protect customers’ data.

The airline has begun to contact potentially affected customers by email. As a precaution, the airline is urging customers to reset their passwords and review their financial transactions for any suspicious activity.

“We’ve taken steps to lock down your account, and you can unlock it by following the password reset instructions in the email sent to you, or via the instructions the next time you log into your Air Canada mobile App. It is important to select a robust password as per our instructions when you reset your account,” the airline added.

“We recommend customers regularly review their financial transactions, be aware of any changes in their credit rating, and contact their financial services provider immediately if they become aware of any unusual or unauthorized transactions,” Air Canada said.