Tag Archive for: Airlines

American Airlines Pilots Union Hit By Major Ransomware Attack That Took Down Website And Could Have Resulted in Sensitive Data Being Stolen

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The union, which represents more than 15,000 pilots at American Airlines, says it fell victim to a ransomware attack that took down its website and may have allowed hackers to steal the sensitive personal data of its members.

The Allied Pilots Association (APA) says it became aware of the hack attack on October 30 when its servers were taken offline, blocking access to both the union’s public website and secure member-only pages, as well as specific tools built for pilots.

The APA website and its online services are completely separate from American Airlines, and there is no suggestion that the airline’s systems have been compromised.

The attack was so widespread that APA was forced to update its members via social channels because its website was inaccessible and email systems had been taken offline.

In a statement set up on a temporary new website, APA said it was still assessing the full extent of the damage and that cyber security experts were trying to determine whether personal data had been compromised.

The union warned that it may take some time to figure out whether sensitive information has actually been stolen.

“On October 30, we experienced a cybersecurity incident,” the union confirmed on Thursday. “Upon discovery of the incident, we immediately took steps to secure our network.”

“Our IT team, with the support of outside experts, continues to work nonstop to restore our systems. We are pleased to report that our restoration efforts are progressing, and we will soon be able to begin to bring back some of our online services”.

The union said it could take days to restore all of its online services.

A preliminary investigation suggests APA was targeted in a ransomware attack and that the hackers had managed to encrypt certain systems, which has blocked access to the union’s IT team.

“The restoration of those systems has entailed a methodical and time-consuming process for our IT team and outside experts,” the union warned.

Earlier this year, thousands of pilots who had applied for positions at American Airlines and Southwest had their personal details stolen by hackers who…

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Southwest Airlines, Coinbase, and USPS: Top Scams of the Week

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This week we’ve found lots of phishing scams in which scammers are impersonating trusted brands, including Southwest Airlines, Coinbase, and USPS. Would you have been able to spot all these scams?  

Phishing Scams

Impersonating trusted brands, scammers send text messages and emails containing phishing links, attempting to trick you into clicking under various pretenses, e.g. offering you a free gift, asking you to verify accounts, or prompting you to track a package.

What do they want? These links lead to phishing sites designed to record your personal identifiable informatin (PII), such as email address, credit card number, and Social Security number. With these credentials, scammers can drain your bank account, steal your identity, or commit any number of other crimes. Below are some examples.

Southwest Airlines

Have you started planning for a trip during the Holiday season? If you’re searching for the best deals on tickets, be careful of the latest Southwest Airlines phishing scam:

SOuthwest Airlines

Falsely claiming that you can get a $100 Southwest Airlines gift card, scammers instruct you to fill out their online survey via the embedded button in the email. If you take the bait and click, it will take you to a fake Southwest Airlines page that will collect all the data you’ve submitted. Don’t let that happen!

Avoid Scam Sites for FREE

The truth is, there are lots of scams and scam sites on the internet and they’re getting harder to detect. For an easy and reliable method of detecting and avoiding scam sites, check out our free browser extension (Trend Micro ID Protection) and free mobile app (Trend Micro Check). 

Both ID Protection and Trend Micro Check can protect you against scams, phishing links, risky websites, and lots more! If you come across something dangerous online, you’ll be alerted in real time so you’ll know to stay well clear   

Coinbase

If you are using Coinbase or looking to invest in cryptocurrency, you should be on the lookout for bogus Coinbase emails:

Coinbase_Phishing Email

Posing as Coinbase, scammers will send you a fake notification stating that you’ve received some bitcoins in your wallet and that you…

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United, American, Southwest Airlines and Others Say Masks No Longer Required – NBC Chicago

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Monday, U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle voided the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s current national mask mandate on airplanes and mass public transit.

The 59-page ruling from the Florida judge said the CDC failed to justify its decision and did not follow proper rulemaking procedures that left it fatally flawed.

The CDC had recently extended a federal mask mandate on public transit and in public transportation hubs until May 3, to allow more time to study the BA.2 omicron subvariant of the coronavirus now responsible for the vast majority of cases in the U.S.

Regarding the ruling, a White House administration official on Monday said, “The agencies are reviewing the decision and assessing potential next steps. In the meantime, today’s court decision means CDC’s public transportation masking order is not in effect at this time.

Therefore, TSA will not enforce its Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs at this time.”

Based on that ruling, here’s a look at which major U.S. airlines are lifting their mask mandates for domestic flights.

American Airlines: Masks No Longer Required

“In accordance with the Transportation Security Administration no longer enforcing the federal face mask mandate,” American Airlines said in a statement Monday. “Face masks will no longer be required for our customers and team members at U.S. airports and on domestic flights. Please note face masks may still be required based on local ordinances, or when traveling to/from certain international locations based on country requirements.”

Alaska Airlines: Masks No Longer Required

“Face masks have been like boarding passes for nearly two years — you couldn’t fly without one,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement. “But, as of today, masks are optional in airports and onboard aircraft, effective immediately.” 

“Due to a judicial decision in our federal court system, the mask mandate has been overturned, which means our guests and employees have the option to wear a mask while traveling in the U.S. and at work.”

Delta: Masks No Longer Required

“Following the ruling of a…

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Most major US airlines ban guns in luggage for DC flights

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Airlines and airports say they are stepping up security before next week’s presidential inauguration, with Delta and other major airlines saying they will prohibit passengers flying to the Washington area from putting guns in checked bags.

The moves follow the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump and politically tinged confrontations on some flights.

Delta Air Lines was the first to announce Thursday that it will prohibit checking guns to Washington-area airports and was followed later in the day by United, Alaska, American and Southwest. All said their bans will start Saturday and run through Inauguration Day until Jan. 23.

“We are all on high alert based on the events over the last couple weeks up in Washington,″ CEO Ed Bastian said Thursday on CNBC.

Spirit and JetBlue did not respond to requests for comment.

The airlines also announced other measures. American Airlines is bringing back a ban on serving alcohol on flights to and from the Washington area — flights go dry starting Saturday through next Thursday. Several airlines are moving crews out of downtown Washington hotels for their safety.

Earlier this week, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it will raise enforcement of rules against interfering with or assaulting airline crew members or other passengers. The FAA said that for the next two months it will stop giving warnings to violators and will instead refer their cases to law enforcement for potential charges, fines and jail terms.

FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson cited recent disturbances on planes, adding there has been “a trend after the breach of the Capitol last week.”

Key lawmakers and the head of the nation’s largest union of flight attendants have asked the FBI to place Capitol rioters on the federal no-fly list. An FBI spokesman declined to say whether any rioters have been added to the watch list, although an FBI official said Tuesday that such a move was being considered.

So far, it has fallen on the nation’s airlines to prevent an in-flight incident from getting out of control by threatening to ban people who refuse to wear masks or ignore flight attendants’ orders.

Early last week, several Trump…

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