Financial details of 3,80,000 customers hacked: British Airways
London, Sep 7: British Airways (BA) on Friday admitted that personal and financial data of its nearly 3,80,000 customers who booked online on its website and mobile app has been compromised and is up for misuse.
Urging the customers to immediately contact their banks and credit card providers after their payment cards details were compromised, the airways said it was investigating the theft that happened between August 21 and September 5.
"We are investigating, as a matter of urgency, the theft of customer data from our website and our mobile app. The stolen data did not include travel or passport details," BA said in a statement.
"From 22:58 BST August 21 2018 until 21:45 BST September 5 2018 inclusive, the personal and financial details of customers making bookings on our website and app were compromised.
"The breach has been resolved and our website is working normally. We have notified the police and relevant authorities," the statement added.
Alex Cruz, BA Chairman and Chief Executive, on Friday promised compensation to the victims of the "malicious" attack.
The airways said if you believe you have been affected, please contact the bank or credit card provider and follow their recommended advice.
"We are deeply sorry for the disruption that this criminal activity has caused. We take the protection of our customers' data very seriously," BA said, adding the airways will be contacting affected customers directly to advise them of what has happened.
"Every customer affected will be fully reimbursed and we will pay for a credit checking service," said BA, urging the customers to change their passwords for login to its website and the mobile app.
This is not the first time the airways has been affected.
In July, nearly 7,000 passengers had their flights to or from Heathrow cancelled after a failure of an IT system provided to BA by Amadeus, a Spanish IT provider for global travel industry.
In May last year, a "power outage" triggered a collapse in the airline's information systems.
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In biggest haul, drugs worth Rs 51 cr seized in Meghalaya, 2 held
Shillong (PTI): The Meghalaya Police seized drugs worth over Rs 51 crore, the biggest haul of narcotics in the state so far, in East Jaintia Hills district and arrested two Mizoram-based persons in this connection, a senior officer said on Saturday.
The seizure was made during a coordinated naka-checking conducted by the police and Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) personnel in the Ratacherra area on Friday, he said.
During the operation, a vehicle with three persons, including the driver, on board was intercepted and searched in accordance with due legal procedures.
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Upon checking, 19 plastic soap cases, containing suspected heroin weighing 203.7 grams, were recovered from the possession of one of the three persons, the officer said.
The search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a blue-coloured trolley bag belonging to another occupant of the vehicle.
Suspected crystal meth (methamphetamine) tablets weighing 10.145 kilograms were found in the bag, the police officer said.
'Meth' tablets are banned in India.
Two of the three occupants of the vehicle were arrested, and a preliminary investigation suggested that they are part of an interstate and cross-border drug trafficking syndicate, the officer said.
"The total value of the seized contraband is estimated to be around Rs 51.13 crore", ANTF chief Vikash Kumar told PTI.
The arrested persons hail from Mizoram, he said.
A case has been registered at the ANTF police station, and an investigation is underway to establish the forward and backward linkages related to the seizure, the officer added.
