In the digital age, cybersecurity threats are an ever-present concern. Among the most significant of these threats are data breaches, where unauthorized individuals gain access to sensitive information. A recent example of such a breach occurred with Air Europa, Spain’s third-largest airline, which led to a massive credit card data leak. In this article, we will delve into the details of this breach and explore the implications for customers and businesses alike.
The Air Europa Incident
The Air Europa data breach surfaced in October 2023 when the company discovered that cybercriminals had infiltrated their web portal, gaining access to customers’ credit card information. The breach was so severe that the airline had to urge its clientele to cancel their payment methods used for reservations immediately.
What Information was Stolen?
The hackers were able to get hold of key data, allowing them to make unauthorized purchases with the victims’ payment systems. This data included the complete card number, its expiration date, and the CVV, a three-digit security code required for online purchases.
The Aftermath of the Breach
The aftermath of the breach saw Air Europa taking immediate action. They sent out mass emails to customers who had recently purchased tickets, advising them to cancel their bank cards due to the risk of theft and fraud.
How Many Customers were Affected?
Air Europa has not yet disclosed the exact number of customers affected by the breach. However, the fact that they sent a mass email to their clientele suggests that the number could be substantial.
Is it the First Time for Air Europa?
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Air Europa has confronted a data breach. In 2021, the company was fined €600,000 for violating EU data protection laws following a breach that exposed the contact and bank account details of almost 500,000 customers.
The Immediate Response
Air Europa assured its customers that the data extracted was exclusively associated with the cards themselves and not with the customers. They insisted that cybercriminals did not access other Air Europa databases or extract other types of personal information from customers.
The Company’s Assurance
Despite the severity of the breach, the company assured its customers that there was no evidence that the data breach was used to commit any fraud. The company credited its systems team for detecting the breach early and applying the appropriate protocol to prevent the leak of new data.
What could Air Europa and other companies do better?
The long-term implications of such a breach can be substantial. Customers may lose faith in the company’s ability to safeguard their personal information, potentially leading to a loss of business. Moreover, the company could face legal consequences if it is found to have been negligent in its duty to protect customer data. In such cicumstances its hard to understand, why credit card data has not been secured in a better way.
Storing full credit card details locally on a server is risky due to the potential for breaches, and it is not in line with best practices or the standards set by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Here are some alternatives and best practices to manage payment data for an vendor that deals with credit card data:
- Tokenization:
- Instead of storing the actual card details, the payment processor returns a token (a unique identifier). The token is meaningless if intercepted, but it can be used by the business to manage transactions.
- This approach offloads the responsibility of securing cardholder data to a third-party provider that specializes in such services.
- Hosted Payment Pages:
- With this approach, the payment form is hosted by a third-party provider (e.g., PayPal, Stripe). The customer is redirected to the provider’s payment page during checkout.
- This ensures that cardholder data never touches the servers of the online business.
- iFrame Payment Forms:
- This is a middle-ground between hosting your payment form and using a hosted payment page. Here, an iFrame (an embedded webpage within your site) is used to input payment details.
- The iFrame communicates directly with the payment processor. This way, cardholder data is never exposed to the merchant’s environment.
- End-to-End Encryption:
- Encrypt data at the source (point of entry) and only decrypt it at its endpoint (the payment gateway/processor).
- Even if attackers intercept the data, it’s encrypted and useless to them.
- Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE):
- This is often used in physical retail environments. The cardholder data is encrypted from the point of swipe/insertion all the way to the payment processor.
- Use a Dedicated Payment Server:
- If you must manage payment data directly, keep a separate, secure server dedicated to payments. This reduces the attack surface.
- Ensure this server is regularly patched, audited, and hardened against potential security threats.
How are Credit Cards Sold on the Darkweb?
Following such a breach, stolen credit card information often ends up on the dark web, a part of the internet known for illicit activities. Here, cybercriminals can sell the stolen data to the highest bidder, who can then use the information for fraudulent purposes.
Could Dark Web Monitoring Alert You?
Dark web monitoring services can indeed help in alerting individuals if their personal information, such as credit card details, is found on the dark web. While this does not prevent the initial breach, it can enable swift action to limit the damage.
Should Users Store Their Credit Card Information on Websites?
Given the increasing frequency of data breaches, it is advisable for consumers to be cautious about storing their credit card information on websites. While this offers convenience, it also poses a risk if the website’s security is compromised.
Conclusion
The Air Europa credit card breach serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of data breaches. Companies must prioritize cybersecurity measures to protect their customers’ sensitive information, while consumers must be vigilant in safeguarding their personal data. As technology continues to evolve, so too must our approaches to data protection and cybersecurity.
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