Manchester Airports Group cyberattack exposes data of 8.7 million customers

Hackers obtained customer contact and booking-related data from Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports, creating new phishing risks for travelers.

Key takeaways

• Manchester Airports Group confirmed that an unauthorized third party obtained customer data linked to three UK airports
• Around 8.7 million customers are reportedly affected by the breach
• Exposed information includes email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registrations and postcodes, but not bank or payment details
• Travelers should be particularly wary of phishing emails, texts and calls impersonating airports or travel services

What data was exposed in the Manchester Airports Group cyberattack?

Manchester Airports Group (MAG), the UK’s largest airport operator, has confirmed a cybersecurity incident involving information collected through airport Wi-Fi registrations and bookings for parking, lounges and Fast Track services at the Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports.

Reports citing MAG place the affected population at roughly 8.7 million customers. Compromised information can include email addresses, telephone numbers, postal codes and vehicle registration numbers. MAG says neither the company nor the affected system held customers’ bank or payment information.

Why stolen airport data could fuel convincing scams

Financial information does not need to be exposed for a breach to create fraud risks. Contact details combined with information about an airport or travel service can give criminals enough context to create convincing phishing messages about bookings, parking, refunds or account problems.

Criminals routinely exploit information from breaches to make fraudulent emails, texts and calls appear more legitimate, the UK National Cyber Security Centre warns. Scammers can also impersonate the breached organization and steer recipients toward fake login or payment pages.

What affected travelers should do now

MAG says passenger safety, aviation security and airport operations were unaffected. At disclosure, the company also temporarily suspended its online Manage My Booking service as a precaution. Customers who receive unexpected communications should verify the messages through official airport websites or established contact numbers rather than links supplied in messages.

Be especially suspicious of requests for passwords, banking information or payment details. Check important accounts for unfamiliar activity, use unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible. The NCSC also recommends checking directly with the affected organization rather than relying on contact details contained in unexpected messages.

For another layer of protection, Bitdefender Scamio can analyze questionable links, messages and screenshots before you interact with them. Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection can monitor exposed personal information and breach activity, while Ultimate Security provides broader anti-phishing and scam protection.