Cybercrooks jet off with Manchester Airports Group customer data The company behind three of the UK’s busiest airports says “a quantity” of data was stolen by an extortion group during a recent “cybersecurity incident." Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which operates Manchester Airport in the North West of England, Cambridgeshire’s Stansted Airport, and East Midlands Airport in Derbyshire, …
This is precisely why companies shouldn't be allowed to gather and sit on personal data for something as straightforward as WiFi access.
Thankfully never gave them my real details for WiFi, but have previously done so for parking, fast track, lounge access and so on, so am probably still affected.
I'll await the inevitable flood of scammy phishing crap.
What, that sweet, sweet valuable data?
Spare a thought for poor MAG. Whether it's landing fees, headers on services rendered to operators such as baggage handling, government subsidies, retail space where you're charged £4 for a bottle of water, operator fees and/or per passenger overheads. They're evidently not making enough money and need *another* avenue to do so by selling your email address. It just so happens here that the process has happened exactly as it would without the hack, but that MAG didn't receive any funds for it and can't provide a thinly-veiled vetting excuse to someone like the ICO as to the legitimacy of the purchaser.
To their plus, it does not mean that there's plausible deniability that anywhere to which they've sold your data and the recipients of the "hacked" data are so mixed, that it's impossible for those that have purchased the data and used it for nefarious purposes to create a blame issue for MAG. If I were a conspiracy theorist, I'd suggest that this is a net positive for them: the ICO are going to chocolate-fireguard any possible outcome; passengers aren't going to choose to drive to "London-Bournemouth-Southend" (or whatever they're calling it this week) instead; the general public is still going to need WiFi in departures so they're not going to lose the data stream; the public will have forgotten by Tuesday; and it's now mostly impossible to tell between any sale/use of data or that resulting from the hack.
I'm sure they're very, *very* """sorry""", for whatever that means.
"I'm sure they're very, *very* """sorry""", for whatever that means."
They are not sorry. 'Sorry' implies they did something wrong and their legal team is running around telling people not to admit anything.
There may be a high value payout at some point, but it will be linked to a statement that no blame rests with their company. Business as usual.
Now, that being said, it wouldn't take a lot of effort to link a % of any payouts to the salaries of The Board of Directors. If cash actually came out of their pockets you could guarantee a comprehensive security upgrade in weeks if not days.
It is ye olde "free" thing again.
Except it is not "free" as they require you to "register" and "sign in" using data they can use/abuse before they let you use it.
It is the same on the trains which used to be "tick here to accept terms and conditions" and that was it. Now you have to register and give them your personal data....
>It is the same on the trains which used to be "tick here to accept terms and conditions" and that was it. Now you have to register and give them your personal data....
Remember if you're not paying you're the product - it's not like the trains have any other source of revenue
That's the first thing I thought. I've never given real details on the WiFi. There's no verification step. I get the bus and train there and back as its at most £12 return but they do have me on fast track because I used it once few years back, never again, waste of time, just get there 3 hours before. Everyone using fast track takes a person or persons out of your queue anyway.
It's an example of a poorly designed system. Not sure if airports really need to offer WiFi, but like you and obviously many others, I've never used my own e-mail for the system seeing as it's not required.
The real monetary value for operators of such systems isn't in the registration but in the data connections used during the service, which is why it's often a good idea to use a VPN while using them, though occasionally this needs disabling initially so that the DNS to login can work.
Given that, it's inexcusable to keep the data any longer than, say, 30 days in case you are thinking you might need it in case you suspect the account was used for nefarious purposes… given that CCTV is in operation everywhere – you can't even shoot up quietly in the loo without being recorded – that hardly seems necessary. Methinks it's better to do what other airports do and outsource the service to the network providers: they can let their users onto the network easily enough and avoid needing to provide additional cells for coverage, though the two are converging anyway.
But most of all, get rid of those shopping labyrinths before people start developing "mall rage" in their need to get from security theatre to a quiet waiting area as quickly as possible!
"Thankfully never gave them my real details for WiFi,"
I've made it a policy to lie about my personal details. The exception would be police, customs, that sort of thing where the consequences could be severe. What's the worst that would happen if you lied to get wi-fi access..... no access if they catch you out. If they can catch you out, why would they need you to register in the first place?
Its a pseudo company majority owned by the councils of Manchester.
I noted that a large UK bank, while sending out emails about not falling for scams and protecting your identity data, itself then asks for your name, address, date of birth and mobile phone number to use their customer WiFi. Just the sory of behaviour it advises against itself. You couldn't make it up!
We are surrounded by idiots.
Or just make up an email, fake@<their domain> ? Or if that is too obvious, free_wifi@manchesterairport.co.uk
You don't normally need a verifiable email address. After all, to validate the email address requires internet access to receive a verification email, which requires working WiFi, but if the WiFi is working.... (assuming no mobile data - but if you had mobile data, why free WiFi?). Or am I missing something?
Also a recipient of not just one but two emails warning me about potential phishing attacks. That said I've never signed up to the airport wifi using my own address...quite why they felt the need to keep any details for stuff like parking I have no clue. Fortunately the email used for that was an ancient older one that isn't so relevant now.
One note however is that Stansted Airport isn't in Cambridgeshire, it's in Essex. (and yes I've sent in a correction.)
I guess the boss of MAG would be familiar with the concept
I bought a domain name many eons ago.
Every organisation, company etc that I deal with gets a unique email address, I simply have a forward to my real address.
It does allow me to see if I am receiving emails from other sources. E.g. if I get details of investments to mankairport@mydomain.co.uk, I know that it’s either the hack, or they sold my details,
> I get details of investments to mankairport@mydomain.co.uk, I know that it’s either the hack, or they sold my details,
Or they are now just scamming their own customers. It's something the new CEO came up with. Why only fleece customers on parking when you can just run Nigerian Prince scams on them yourself ?
Here we go again. Anything involving the public sector just can't be trusted with basic IT, never mind personal data!
"Manchester Airports Group operates under Manchester Airports Holdings Limited, a holding company owned by the **ten metropolitan borough councils of Greater Manchester** and Australian investment fund IFM Investors."
The majority share belongs to Manchester City Council (35.5%) and the other Greater Manchester Local Authorities (29%).
Look forward to more of this as Andeh Burnham spreads his Manchurian enshitification across the whole of the UK!
Manchester Airport has been in Public Ownership since 1938 when the airport was opened by the Manchester Corporation, I think that's a bit before Andy Burnham ;o)
Also when the current iteration of MAG was created in 2001, Andy Burnham was MP for Leigh and not involved with Manchester Council or the airport.
Manchester Airport has been in Public Ownership since 1938 when the airport was opened by the Manchester Corporation, I think that's a bit before Andy Burnham ;o)
Also when the current iteration of MAG was created in 2001, Andy Burnham was MP for Leigh and not involved with Manchester Council or the airport.
