U.S. based airline Virgin America confirmed that hackers attacked the company’s corporate network earlier in 2017. Following the breach, the staff and all contractors of the airline have been ordered to change the passwords of their systems. This is to keep the confidential and private information under wraps and prevent it from falling into the hands of the wrong doers.
Hackers infiltrate Virgin America networks
The intrusion into the air carrier’s corporate network was detected mid-March. According to the missive sent to the employees, the hacker or logged in using the regular information and password that is used to access the company’s U.S.
corporate network. Private information and credentials of an estimated 3,120 contractors and employees were lifted off during the hack. Apart from that social security numbers, driver’s license, addresses, and additional personal data of another 110 employees and contractors may also have been accessed or taken at that juncture.
However, Virgin-owned Alaska Airline was not been affected by this illegal seizure. According to a statement given by a spokesperson from Virgin America to the publication The Register, the person stated that the hack was detected as a part of a regular security sweep. However, the spokesperson was clear on the fact that the hacker or hackers could gain access to only a limited amount of information of the airline’s contractors and employees, which unfortunately included the login Ids’ and passwords for the staff.
The spokesperson also revealed that the hack in no way had affected employee or contractor information or the system of Virgin owned Alaska Airlines. Apart from internal data, consumer data of the Alaska Airline was also not accessed by the hackers. The press statement mentioned that the company has taken this matter seriously and is currently in the process of informing all potentially affected employees, vendors, and contractors to protect their systems as well as data.
Airline advises employees and contractors to change login information
Following the massive hacker attack in mid-March this year, Virgin America has requested its employees and contractors to abide by the new password policy that the airline carrier has initiated to ensure maximum security. According to the new policy, the staff and contractors will be required to change or rotate their login passwords every 90 days or three months. Apart from this, the company has also employed additional security to upgrade the networks security system, so that in future it can avoid such attacks.
