Hey there, aviation enthusiasts! If you’re a fan of FlightAware, you might want to pay attention to this. The popular flight-tracking tool recently revealed a data breach that has been happening for quite some time. The culprit? A simple configuration error that led to a security lapse.
FlightAware’s Data Breach Shock
FlightAware has uncovered a data breach involving the personal information of its valued customers. Once the issue was fixed, the service made sure to inform everyone about what had happened.
According to their official statement, the breach was discovered on July 25th, 2024. This error exposed account details like passwords, email addresses, and user IDs of FlightAware users.
As a result, sensitive information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, billing details, credit card information, and even social media accounts were at risk. Additionally, the breach also included users’ account activities, owned aircraft, pilot status, and industry affiliation.
Further details from a separate report to the Office of the Attorney General in California revealed that the breach had been ongoing since January 1, 2021, potentially exposing Social Security Numbers as well.
Take Action and Stay Safe
FlightAware promptly fixed the configuration error and reset all user passwords as a precaution. They also advised users to safeguard their personal information by monitoring their accounts closely, reporting any suspicious activities, and obtaining credit reports from agencies like Equifax or Experian.
To ease the inconvenience caused, FlightAware is offering affected customers a complimentary two-year credit monitoring service.
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