Sep 7, 2018, 8:15 am
Last edit by: tbm13
Are you trying to change your BA password and having difficulty doing so? For some suggestions, go to this wikipost.
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On Thursday 6 September 2018 at about 1830 London time (UTC+1), BA announced that there had been a data breach involving customers using the BA website and the BA mobile app.
Updates from BA are being posted to this ba.com page: https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...st-information
A further update dated 25 October 2018 can be found in this post 1377. The SPG Law class action thread can be found here.
As at 1400 London time on Tuesday 11 September 2018, the body of that page read:-
That is followed by a series of FAQs. These are reproduced at the end of this wikipost.
If you are experiencing difficulties in changing your BA password or want further information about doing so, some information is in this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...rd-ba-com.html (which also has a wikipost).
Reports from FTers suggest that credit card companies and banks are taking differing approaches to this incident:-
As of Wednesday 12th September, affected customers are being emailed with the following additional information
Note that the email from BA gives you a personal "Activation Code". However, when you get to the signup forms for ProtectMyID, you put the code into the second page of the sign up form in the "Promotional Code" field.
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On Thursday 6 September 2018 at about 1830 London time (UTC+1), BA announced that there had been a data breach involving customers using the BA website and the BA mobile app.
Updates from BA are being posted to this ba.com page: https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...st-information
A further update dated 25 October 2018 can be found in this post 1377. The SPG Law class action thread can be found here.
As at 1400 London time on Tuesday 11 September 2018, the body of that page read:-
Customer data theft
We are investigating, as a matter of urgency, the theft of customer data between 22:58 BST August 21 2018 until 21:45 BST September 5 2018 from our website, ba.com, and our mobile app.
The stolen data included personal and financial details of customers making bookings and changes on ba.com and the airline’s app. The data did not include travel or passport details.
The theft has been reported to the authorities and our website is now working normally.
What to do if you have been affected
If you believe you may have been affected because you made a booking or paid to change to your booking with a credit or debit card on ba.com or the mobile app between 22:58 BST August 21 2018 until 21:45 BST September 5 2018, we recommend you contact your bank or credit card provider and follow their advice.
We understand that this incident will cause concern and inconvenience. We are contacting all affected customers to say sorry, and we will continue to update them in the coming days.
Phishing
Customers should also be aware that fraudsters may be claiming to be British Airways and attempt to gather personal information by deception (known as 'phishing').
We will not be contacting any customers asking for payment card details and any such requests should be reported to the police and relevant authorities.
See below for more information on how to validate that the email you have received from us is genuine.
We are investigating, as a matter of urgency, the theft of customer data between 22:58 BST August 21 2018 until 21:45 BST September 5 2018 from our website, ba.com, and our mobile app.
The stolen data included personal and financial details of customers making bookings and changes on ba.com and the airline’s app. The data did not include travel or passport details.
The theft has been reported to the authorities and our website is now working normally.
What to do if you have been affected
If you believe you may have been affected because you made a booking or paid to change to your booking with a credit or debit card on ba.com or the mobile app between 22:58 BST August 21 2018 until 21:45 BST September 5 2018, we recommend you contact your bank or credit card provider and follow their advice.
We understand that this incident will cause concern and inconvenience. We are contacting all affected customers to say sorry, and we will continue to update them in the coming days.
Phishing
Customers should also be aware that fraudsters may be claiming to be British Airways and attempt to gather personal information by deception (known as 'phishing').
We will not be contacting any customers asking for payment card details and any such requests should be reported to the police and relevant authorities.
See below for more information on how to validate that the email you have received from us is genuine.
If you are experiencing difficulties in changing your BA password or want further information about doing so, some information is in this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...rd-ba-com.html (which also has a wikipost).
Reports from FTers suggest that credit card companies and banks are taking differing approaches to this incident:-
- American Express - A recorded message says they are aware of the breach, there is no need to take any further action and if you suffer any financial loss you will be fully compensated; an email says: "There is no action you need to take – we will contact you immediately if there's any unusual activity with your Account. In the meantime you can continue to use your Card as normal" (see post 293, post 401, post 470 and post 491).
- Barclaycard - They just assured me I was fully protected, and I didn't need to do anything yet (see post 253); however at 18.20 on 7/9/18 the customer service helpline automated message says that affected cards are being reissued (see post 511).
- Barclays Bank - They have contacted people they believe to have been affected, and have blocked their cards from online use (website/app), but the cards remain valid for physical (chip & PIN) transactions in shops, ATMs etc. New cards being dispatched "within a week" (see post 918).
- Capital One - online transactions being blocked, new cards being issued (see post 493).
- Chase (British Airways visa) - no contact from Chase about data breach and card still working
- HSBC Premier Mastercard - Offering customers the option to freeze the card or replace it with a new card (see post 274).
- Lloyds - Said "wait and see", but did give the option to cancel the card and have it reissued (see post 403).
- Lloyds Mastercard - Based on the information they have, fraudulent use of my card is unlikely, just keep an eye on online banking and report anything suspicious (see post 370).
- Monzo - Automatically replacing all cards (see post 371).
- Natwest- Of the opinion that as there had been no fraudulent activity on my account to just keep an eye on things, and to call immediately if any suspicious transactions appear and fraud team would refund (post 315).
- Sainsburys Bank - seem to be replacing all cards proactively (see post 968)
- Starling - Automatically replacing cards (see post 460).
- Tesco Bank - Pro-actively sending a new card as per details in this post (post 484)
- TSB - Call the Telephone Banking Team on 03459 758758 to discuss further (see post 437).
- Vanquis - online transactions being blocked, new cards being issued (see post 493).
Have I been affected?
How do I know if I have been affected?
Customers who made bookings or changes to their bookings on ba.com or our mobile app between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 BST September 5, 2018 may have been affected.
We advise any customers who believe they may have been affected to contact their banks or credit card providers and follow their advice.
We are experiencing high call volumes into our contact centres so please continue to check this page for the latest information.
Contact us
What data has been lost?
The personal and financial details of customers making bookings on ba.com and our mobile app between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 BST September 5, 2018 was compromised. No passport or travel details were stolen. Only customers who made bookings between these dates are affected.
Names, billing address, email address and all bank card details were all at risk.
Did this affect just new bookings or any payment transaction made within the impacted time period?
All payment transactions made on ba.com or our mobile app from 22:58 BST August 21 2018 to 21:45 September 5 2018 inclusive were affected. Nothing before or after these dates and times was impacted. Payments made through our call centres, travel agents or online travel sites are not affected.
Are my saved payment card details safe if they were used to make a booking in that period?
If you made a payment using a saved card on ba.com or the mobile app from 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 to 21:45 September 5, 2018 inclusive, you may have been impacted.
No Executive Club accounts were compromised in the data theft. There is no impact to Avios or details stored with the British Airways Executive Club.
Has saved credit card data been stolen, even if a booking hasn’t been made in that period?
No, saved payment card data has not been compromised. However, if you made a payment using a saved card on ba.com or the mobile app from 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 to 21:45 September 5, 2018 inclusive, you may have been impacted.
How were phone numbers not affected?
Phone number information is collected in a separate part of the booking process and is not used as part of the payment transaction therefore this has not been impacted.
I used PayPal to pay for my ba.com transaction. Is this impacted?
If you booked through PayPal, your PayPal account will not have been compromised. There does remain the risk that some of your personal information such as your name and address may have been accessed. No passport details or travel details were compromised.
Is Apple Pay affected?
If you used Apple Pay via the mobile app then your data will not have been compromised.
I had a failed payment attempt during the affected time period – am I affected?
If you clicked the pay button on ba.com then the transaction would have taken place even if the outcome was unsuccessful and the data would have been compromised.
We advise any concerned customers to contact their banks or credit card providers and follow their advice.
Will I be affected if I made a free change to my booking but my payment card details were saved in the reservation?
If you made a free change to your booking via ba.com and did not use your payment card as part of that transaction, then you will not have been impacted.
Are travel agent bookings affected?
Only bookings or changes to bookings made directly with ba.com or the mobile app between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 BST September 5, 2018 were affected.
If a change was made to a travel agent booking on ba.com and payment made for an additional product, such as seat reservations or excess baggage, then these would be affected.
Does this affect Executive Club accounts in any way? i.e. missing Avios/ Tier Points
No accounts were compromised in the data theft. There is no impact to Avios or details stored with the British Airways Executive Club.
I received an email about the data theft, however I only cancelled a booking during this time – will I be affected?
If you cancelled and refunded your booking between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 September 5, 2018, you will not have been impacted.
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What should I do if I think I am affected?
Should I call my bank or cancel my credit cards?
We recommend that all customers who made bookings or changes to their bookings with ba.com or the mobile app, between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 BST September 5, 2018, contact their banks or credit card providers and follow their advice.
I think my card was compromised when I made a booking on ba.com outside of the time period – what should I do?
The data theft relates to customer bookings made or changed between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 September 5, 2018 only.
We advise any concerned customers to contact their banks or credit card providers and follow their advice.
How would I know if I have been a victim of identity theft?
There are a number of signs to look out for that may indicate that you might have been a victim of identity theft:-
If you are concerned about an email, we recommend that you don't click on any links, open any documents or reply to it until you have looked into it further.
Official emails relating to this theft will be sent from: [email protected]. You should hover over the sent email address to confirm this is where the email has been sent from before clicking on it.
British Airways will never proactively contact you to request your personal or confidential information. If you ever receive an email or call, claiming to be from us, requesting this information, please report it to us straight away.
We've put the details of the scams we're aware of on our ba.com website security page. There's also security essentials information to help you, along with details of how to report any new scams to us (or other emails/calls that have concerned you).
Will I be reimbursed?
We take the protection of our customers’ data seriously and are very sorry for the concern that this criminal activity has caused.
We will continue to keep our customers updated with the very latest information.
No customer will be out of pocket as a direct result of the criminal theft of data from ba.com and the airline’s mobile app. Any customer who made a booking between 22:58 BST August 21 2018 and 21:45 BST September 5 2018 will be reimbursed for any fraudulent activity on their accounts as a direct result of the data theft and we shall advise the process for this in due course.
We will be offering a 12-month credit rating monitoring service to any affected customer who is concerned about an impact to their credit rating, provided by specialists in the field and will share details of this in the near future.
Will BA pay for costs associated with getting new cards, e.g. postage costs?
No customer will be out of pocket as a direct result of the criminal theft of data from ba.com and the airline’s mobile app. We are working through the process and will update our customers as soon as we can.
How do I reset my ba.com password?
ba.com and Executive Club accounts have not been compromised and your login details are safe.
However, if you’d like to change your password, first ensure you are logged out of ba.com and click the Forgotten Pin/Password link on the top right-hand corner of the homepage. We recommend you choose a unique password that you do not use for any other online account.
We are aware of some customers experiencing intermittent issues when attempting to reset their passwords. We are working on resolving this as quickly as possible.
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How does this affect my bookings?
What shall I do if I am due to travel today?
The incident has been resolved and all systems are working normally so customers due to travel can check-in online as normal.
Will I still be able to check in?
Yes, all customers booked on our flights will be able to check in as normal.
Will this affect any future bookings?
The incident has been resolved and ba.com is working normally so future bookings will not be affected.
Will bookings made over the period of this incident remain confirmed?
Yes, all bookings made remain valid for travel.
If I cancelled the card my booking was made with what do I need to bring to the airport?
The payment card that was used to pay for the booking should be brought to the airport if you are the owner of the card and are travelling. However, if the payment card has expired since the booking was made and you have a new card, or you don't have the original card used for payment, please print out a copy of your flight itinerary from Manage my Booking.
I have now cancelled my credit card, but I had used that card to make a future flight booking, so how will I be able to access that booking?
You do not need to enter your payment card details when retrieving an existing booking via Manage My Booking on ba.com, so access to future booking is not restricted due to the cancellation of the payment card.
How do I know if I have been affected?
Customers who made bookings or changes to their bookings on ba.com or our mobile app between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 BST September 5, 2018 may have been affected.
We advise any customers who believe they may have been affected to contact their banks or credit card providers and follow their advice.
We are experiencing high call volumes into our contact centres so please continue to check this page for the latest information.
Contact us
What data has been lost?
The personal and financial details of customers making bookings on ba.com and our mobile app between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 BST September 5, 2018 was compromised. No passport or travel details were stolen. Only customers who made bookings between these dates are affected.
Names, billing address, email address and all bank card details were all at risk.
Did this affect just new bookings or any payment transaction made within the impacted time period?
All payment transactions made on ba.com or our mobile app from 22:58 BST August 21 2018 to 21:45 September 5 2018 inclusive were affected. Nothing before or after these dates and times was impacted. Payments made through our call centres, travel agents or online travel sites are not affected.
Are my saved payment card details safe if they were used to make a booking in that period?
If you made a payment using a saved card on ba.com or the mobile app from 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 to 21:45 September 5, 2018 inclusive, you may have been impacted.
No Executive Club accounts were compromised in the data theft. There is no impact to Avios or details stored with the British Airways Executive Club.
Has saved credit card data been stolen, even if a booking hasn’t been made in that period?
No, saved payment card data has not been compromised. However, if you made a payment using a saved card on ba.com or the mobile app from 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 to 21:45 September 5, 2018 inclusive, you may have been impacted.
How were phone numbers not affected?
Phone number information is collected in a separate part of the booking process and is not used as part of the payment transaction therefore this has not been impacted.
I used PayPal to pay for my ba.com transaction. Is this impacted?
If you booked through PayPal, your PayPal account will not have been compromised. There does remain the risk that some of your personal information such as your name and address may have been accessed. No passport details or travel details were compromised.
Is Apple Pay affected?
If you used Apple Pay via the mobile app then your data will not have been compromised.
I had a failed payment attempt during the affected time period – am I affected?
If you clicked the pay button on ba.com then the transaction would have taken place even if the outcome was unsuccessful and the data would have been compromised.
We advise any concerned customers to contact their banks or credit card providers and follow their advice.
Will I be affected if I made a free change to my booking but my payment card details were saved in the reservation?
If you made a free change to your booking via ba.com and did not use your payment card as part of that transaction, then you will not have been impacted.
Are travel agent bookings affected?
Only bookings or changes to bookings made directly with ba.com or the mobile app between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 BST September 5, 2018 were affected.
If a change was made to a travel agent booking on ba.com and payment made for an additional product, such as seat reservations or excess baggage, then these would be affected.
Does this affect Executive Club accounts in any way? i.e. missing Avios/ Tier Points
No accounts were compromised in the data theft. There is no impact to Avios or details stored with the British Airways Executive Club.
I received an email about the data theft, however I only cancelled a booking during this time – will I be affected?
If you cancelled and refunded your booking between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 September 5, 2018, you will not have been impacted.
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What should I do if I think I am affected?
Should I call my bank or cancel my credit cards?
We recommend that all customers who made bookings or changes to their bookings with ba.com or the mobile app, between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 BST September 5, 2018, contact their banks or credit card providers and follow their advice.
I think my card was compromised when I made a booking on ba.com outside of the time period – what should I do?
The data theft relates to customer bookings made or changed between 22:58 BST August 21, 2018 and 21:45 September 5, 2018 only.
We advise any concerned customers to contact their banks or credit card providers and follow their advice.
How would I know if I have been a victim of identity theft?
There are a number of signs to look out for that may indicate that you might have been a victim of identity theft:-
- Post from your bank or utility provider doesn’t arrive.
- You apply for state benefits, but are told you are already claiming.
- Refused financial services, credit cards or a loan, despite having a good credit rating.
- Receiving letters in your name from solicitors or debt collectors for debts that aren’t yours.
- Request a copy of your credit file to check for any suspicious credit applications.
- Report the theft of personal information and suspicious credit applications to the police and ask for a crime reference number.
- If fraud has been committed, contact Action Fraud.
If you are concerned about an email, we recommend that you don't click on any links, open any documents or reply to it until you have looked into it further.
Official emails relating to this theft will be sent from: [email protected]. You should hover over the sent email address to confirm this is where the email has been sent from before clicking on it.
British Airways will never proactively contact you to request your personal or confidential information. If you ever receive an email or call, claiming to be from us, requesting this information, please report it to us straight away.
We've put the details of the scams we're aware of on our ba.com website security page. There's also security essentials information to help you, along with details of how to report any new scams to us (or other emails/calls that have concerned you).
Will I be reimbursed?
We take the protection of our customers’ data seriously and are very sorry for the concern that this criminal activity has caused.
We will continue to keep our customers updated with the very latest information.
No customer will be out of pocket as a direct result of the criminal theft of data from ba.com and the airline’s mobile app. Any customer who made a booking between 22:58 BST August 21 2018 and 21:45 BST September 5 2018 will be reimbursed for any fraudulent activity on their accounts as a direct result of the data theft and we shall advise the process for this in due course.
We will be offering a 12-month credit rating monitoring service to any affected customer who is concerned about an impact to their credit rating, provided by specialists in the field and will share details of this in the near future.
Will BA pay for costs associated with getting new cards, e.g. postage costs?
No customer will be out of pocket as a direct result of the criminal theft of data from ba.com and the airline’s mobile app. We are working through the process and will update our customers as soon as we can.
How do I reset my ba.com password?
ba.com and Executive Club accounts have not been compromised and your login details are safe.
However, if you’d like to change your password, first ensure you are logged out of ba.com and click the Forgotten Pin/Password link on the top right-hand corner of the homepage. We recommend you choose a unique password that you do not use for any other online account.
We are aware of some customers experiencing intermittent issues when attempting to reset their passwords. We are working on resolving this as quickly as possible.
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How does this affect my bookings?
What shall I do if I am due to travel today?
The incident has been resolved and all systems are working normally so customers due to travel can check-in online as normal.
Will I still be able to check in?
Yes, all customers booked on our flights will be able to check in as normal.
Will this affect any future bookings?
The incident has been resolved and ba.com is working normally so future bookings will not be affected.
Will bookings made over the period of this incident remain confirmed?
Yes, all bookings made remain valid for travel.
If I cancelled the card my booking was made with what do I need to bring to the airport?
The payment card that was used to pay for the booking should be brought to the airport if you are the owner of the card and are travelling. However, if the payment card has expired since the booking was made and you have a new card, or you don't have the original card used for payment, please print out a copy of your flight itinerary from Manage my Booking.
I have now cancelled my credit card, but I had used that card to make a future flight booking, so how will I be able to access that booking?
You do not need to enter your payment card details when retrieving an existing booking via Manage My Booking on ba.com, so access to future booking is not restricted due to the cancellation of the payment card.
We deeply apologise for any worry and inconvenience this criminal activity has caused. For your reassurance, we’re offering you 12 months of free credit and identity monitoring services, provided by Experian, one of the UK’s leading Credit Reference agencies.
Your free ProtectMyID membership
To help you to monitor your personal information for certain signs of potential identity theft, we are offering you a free 12 month membership to Experian ProtectMyID. This service helps detect possible misuse of your personal data and provides you with identity monitoring support, focussed on the identification and resolution of identity theft.
Activating your free ProtectMyID membership
1. Ensure that you sign up for the service by 12 December 2018. Your code expires after this date.
2. Visit the ProtectMyID website to get started.
3. Click on ‘Join ProtectMyID’ (top right-hand side).
4. Enter your details along with the following activation code: XXXXXXXX
This code is unique to you and only available in this email – please keep this email for reference.
Once your membership is activated, you’ll have access to the following features:
1. Unlimited access to your Experian Credit Report.
2. Credit Alerting – an email or text to let you know when certain changes happen on your Experian Credit Report, such as the addition of a new credit search.
3. Access to an Identity Theft Resolution service if you do become a victim of fraud, where you’ll have a dedicated case worker who will support you in resolving fraud that has occurred.
4. If you are at higher risk of fraud, Experian can add protective Cifas registration to your credit report which can help prevent credit being taken in your name. The Cifas Protective Registration service places a flag alongside your name and personal details in the National Fraud Database. Companies and organisations who are signed up as members of the database will see you’re at risk and take extra steps to protect you.
If you have any questions regarding this service, then please contact Experian’s Customer Support Centre on 03444 818182*. They are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and Saturday, 9am to 5pm.
Your free ProtectMyID membership
To help you to monitor your personal information for certain signs of potential identity theft, we are offering you a free 12 month membership to Experian ProtectMyID. This service helps detect possible misuse of your personal data and provides you with identity monitoring support, focussed on the identification and resolution of identity theft.
Activating your free ProtectMyID membership
1. Ensure that you sign up for the service by 12 December 2018. Your code expires after this date.
2. Visit the ProtectMyID website to get started.
3. Click on ‘Join ProtectMyID’ (top right-hand side).
4. Enter your details along with the following activation code: XXXXXXXX
This code is unique to you and only available in this email – please keep this email for reference.
Once your membership is activated, you’ll have access to the following features:
1. Unlimited access to your Experian Credit Report.
2. Credit Alerting – an email or text to let you know when certain changes happen on your Experian Credit Report, such as the addition of a new credit search.
3. Access to an Identity Theft Resolution service if you do become a victim of fraud, where you’ll have a dedicated case worker who will support you in resolving fraud that has occurred.
4. If you are at higher risk of fraud, Experian can add protective Cifas registration to your credit report which can help prevent credit being taken in your name. The Cifas Protective Registration service places a flag alongside your name and personal details in the National Fraud Database. Companies and organisations who are signed up as members of the database will see you’re at risk and take extra steps to protect you.
If you have any questions regarding this service, then please contact Experian’s Customer Support Centre on 03444 818182*. They are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and Saturday, 9am to 5pm.
BA Investigating Theft of Personal and Financial Data
Nov 15, 2018, 1:41 am
#1576
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,903
Actually OnePlus coukd be the guilty party here as they were implicated in a breach earlier this year
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42703791
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42703791
Nov 15, 2018, 1:54 am
#1577
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,601
The letter is probably a "put up or shut up".
The problem BA have here is that they will be getting possibly thousands of irate emails and phone calls asking for gestures of goodwill. At some point they have to release the strain from their front-line agents, who are very constrained in what they can say to avoid implying liability. This will be stressful for agents and that will be being passed up the management chain.
At some point you have to say that exchanging informal communications is futile. People may think that the few K they put BA's way is a big deal, but it's nothing against the potential losses from the suit. People may think that a gesture of goodwill is inexpensive and good PR, but multiply that up by a few hundred thousand, and you have a significant balance sheet issue above and beyond the potential liability from GDPR and the class actions which will probably already have provisions. It ain't going to happen.
GDPR does have an escape clause where the breach is proven to be outside the control of the organisation. That is why BA are stressing that they are the victims. I'm sure that privately there are other views, but don't expect anything more than that line. Incidentally it seems unlikely this is a cost-cutting issue, access to one script seems to have been gained, and it looks to me like either laxity or malice on the access controls and review processes when an update went live.
I think there comes a point where reality has to set in and individuals move past this until the serious issues are resolved. Join the class action by all means - these are designed to benefit the lawyers rather than individuals, but there may be something back - but if you are requesting compensation individually you need to be very clear on what it is you want compensating and why, and be prepared to come back with a lawyer. BA are making it clear that they will defend such cases, and this is reasonable because it's a dangerous distraction. This is commercial reality. If you are going to suggest that the breach caused a burglary or more than what is possible with the data acknowledged to have been lost (and there was a great deal of external analysis pointing to a scrape of the payment screen which has particular and well defined data on), then you will need more than "well, they lost my data once, so who's to say they didn't lose more than they say?" You'll need forensic security experts to prove it.
Let's be clear - I was as annoyed as anyone by the breach, which happened when I was in Amsterdam leaving for the Far East. I spent considerable time checking cards and the effects and understanding what the possible impact was by reading the reports of the various groups that had investigated the breach externally. And then I followed instructions and did what Amex told me to do (which was nothing). It cost me quite a bit of time and effort on lounge wifi in transit which I'd rather have used drinking fizz. Do I think I deserve a gesture? Yes, probably, it would be lovely to get an apology and a chunk of Avios. Do I think I'll get one? See above. Does it worry me? Not unduly, I'll join the class action and wait and see what happens.
The problem BA have here is that they will be getting possibly thousands of irate emails and phone calls asking for gestures of goodwill. At some point they have to release the strain from their front-line agents, who are very constrained in what they can say to avoid implying liability. This will be stressful for agents and that will be being passed up the management chain.
At some point you have to say that exchanging informal communications is futile. People may think that the few K they put BA's way is a big deal, but it's nothing against the potential losses from the suit. People may think that a gesture of goodwill is inexpensive and good PR, but multiply that up by a few hundred thousand, and you have a significant balance sheet issue above and beyond the potential liability from GDPR and the class actions which will probably already have provisions. It ain't going to happen.
GDPR does have an escape clause where the breach is proven to be outside the control of the organisation. That is why BA are stressing that they are the victims. I'm sure that privately there are other views, but don't expect anything more than that line. Incidentally it seems unlikely this is a cost-cutting issue, access to one script seems to have been gained, and it looks to me like either laxity or malice on the access controls and review processes when an update went live.
I think there comes a point where reality has to set in and individuals move past this until the serious issues are resolved. Join the class action by all means - these are designed to benefit the lawyers rather than individuals, but there may be something back - but if you are requesting compensation individually you need to be very clear on what it is you want compensating and why, and be prepared to come back with a lawyer. BA are making it clear that they will defend such cases, and this is reasonable because it's a dangerous distraction. This is commercial reality. If you are going to suggest that the breach caused a burglary or more than what is possible with the data acknowledged to have been lost (and there was a great deal of external analysis pointing to a scrape of the payment screen which has particular and well defined data on), then you will need more than "well, they lost my data once, so who's to say they didn't lose more than they say?" You'll need forensic security experts to prove it.
Let's be clear - I was as annoyed as anyone by the breach, which happened when I was in Amsterdam leaving for the Far East. I spent considerable time checking cards and the effects and understanding what the possible impact was by reading the reports of the various groups that had investigated the breach externally. And then I followed instructions and did what Amex told me to do (which was nothing). It cost me quite a bit of time and effort on lounge wifi in transit which I'd rather have used drinking fizz. Do I think I deserve a gesture? Yes, probably, it would be lovely to get an apology and a chunk of Avios. Do I think I'll get one? See above. Does it worry me? Not unduly, I'll join the class action and wait and see what happens.
Nov 15, 2018, 3:10 am
#1579
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,601
It is certainly the case they were the victim of a criminal attack, that's self-evident. It appears that a script was modified and then made live, which suggests poor access control. However were the access to have been granted by an insider, that would be arguably outside their control (and a criminal act). If it was using a backdoor or policies on user identification and review were inadequate or not followed, that would be arguably within their control.
It's not clear cut because we don't have the details, but what is certain is that their actions and communications now are completely constrained on legal advice. However frustrating that may be for individuals, you will not get past the agreed wordings. It may be a couple of years before anything much happens.
Nov 15, 2018, 3:46 am
#1581
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,795
Actually OnePlus coukd be the guilty party here as they were implicated in a breach earlier this year
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42703791
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42703791
I think @percysmith was saying that his card has been used for fraudulent transactions on those sites. I didn’t read it that he had already used those sites before.
I've never used my card on Oneplus or Hostel Planet myself, the thief attempted to use my card on them.
Nov 15, 2018, 3:54 am
#1582
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,903
Well possibly, but that doesn't mean they won't set up the best defensive position they can. Which precludes saying "it was our fault, have some compensation".
It is certainly the case they were the victim of a criminal attack, that's self-evident. It appears that a script was modified and then made live, which suggests poor access control. However were the access to have been granted by an insider, that would be arguably outside their control (and a criminal act). If it was using a backdoor or policies on user identification and review were inadequate or not followed, that would be arguably within their control.
It's not clear cut because we don't have the details, but what is certain is that their actions and communications now are completely constrained on legal advice. However frustrating that may be for individuals, you will not get past the agreed wordings. It may be a couple of years before anything much happens.
It is certainly the case they were the victim of a criminal attack, that's self-evident. It appears that a script was modified and then made live, which suggests poor access control. However were the access to have been granted by an insider, that would be arguably outside their control (and a criminal act). If it was using a backdoor or policies on user identification and review were inadequate or not followed, that would be arguably within their control.
It's not clear cut because we don't have the details, but what is certain is that their actions and communications now are completely constrained on legal advice. However frustrating that may be for individuals, you will not get past the agreed wordings. It may be a couple of years before anything much happens.
Nov 15, 2018, 4:29 am
#1583
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,892
I have a friend whose Gold card was just renewed on sub 600 TPs. He was really surprised and no reason was given. He was hit by the data breach. I was wondering whether there have been other unexplained renewals and whether any pattern can be ascertained.
Nov 15, 2018, 4:56 am
#1584
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: BA GGL/CCR
Posts: 384
The letter is probably a "put up or shut up".
The problem BA have here is that they will be getting possibly thousands of irate emails and phone calls asking for gestures of goodwill. At some point they have to release the strain from their front-line agents, who are very constrained in what they can say to avoid implying liability. This will be stressful for agents and that will be being passed up the management chain.
At some point you have to say that exchanging informal communications is futile. People may think that the few K they put BA's way is a big deal, but it's nothing against the potential losses from the suit. People may think that a gesture of goodwill is inexpensive and good PR, but multiply that up by a few hundred thousand, and you have a significant balance sheet issue above and beyond the potential liability from GDPR and the class actions which will probably already have provisions. It ain't going to happen.
GDPR does have an escape clause where the breach is proven to be outside the control of the organisation. That is why BA are stressing that they are the victims. I'm sure that privately there are other views, but don't expect anything more than that line. Incidentally it seems unlikely this is a cost-cutting issue, access to one script seems to have been gained, and it looks to me like either laxity or malice on the access controls and review processes when an update went live.
I think there comes a point where reality has to set in and individuals move past this until the serious issues are resolved. Join the class action by all means - these are designed to benefit the lawyers rather than individuals, but there may be something back - but if you are requesting compensation individually you need to be very clear on what it is you want compensating and why, and be prepared to come back with a lawyer. BA are making it clear that they will defend such cases, and this is reasonable because it's a dangerous distraction. This is commercial reality. If you are going to suggest that the breach caused a burglary or more than what is possible with the data acknowledged to have been lost (and there was a great deal of external analysis pointing to a scrape of the payment screen which has particular and well defined data on), then you will need more than "well, they lost my data once, so who's to say they didn't lose more than they say?" You'll need forensic security experts to prove it.
Let's be clear - I was as annoyed as anyone by the breach, which happened when I was in Amsterdam leaving for the Far East. I spent considerable time checking cards and the effects and understanding what the possible impact was by reading the reports of the various groups that had investigated the breach externally. And then I followed instructions and did what Amex told me to do (which was nothing). It cost me quite a bit of time and effort on lounge wifi in transit which I'd rather have used drinking fizz. Do I think I deserve a gesture? Yes, probably, it would be lovely to get an apology and a chunk of Avios. Do I think I'll get one? See above. Does it worry me? Not unduly, I'll join the class action and wait and see what happens.
The problem BA have here is that they will be getting possibly thousands of irate emails and phone calls asking for gestures of goodwill. At some point they have to release the strain from their front-line agents, who are very constrained in what they can say to avoid implying liability. This will be stressful for agents and that will be being passed up the management chain.
At some point you have to say that exchanging informal communications is futile. People may think that the few K they put BA's way is a big deal, but it's nothing against the potential losses from the suit. People may think that a gesture of goodwill is inexpensive and good PR, but multiply that up by a few hundred thousand, and you have a significant balance sheet issue above and beyond the potential liability from GDPR and the class actions which will probably already have provisions. It ain't going to happen.
GDPR does have an escape clause where the breach is proven to be outside the control of the organisation. That is why BA are stressing that they are the victims. I'm sure that privately there are other views, but don't expect anything more than that line. Incidentally it seems unlikely this is a cost-cutting issue, access to one script seems to have been gained, and it looks to me like either laxity or malice on the access controls and review processes when an update went live.
I think there comes a point where reality has to set in and individuals move past this until the serious issues are resolved. Join the class action by all means - these are designed to benefit the lawyers rather than individuals, but there may be something back - but if you are requesting compensation individually you need to be very clear on what it is you want compensating and why, and be prepared to come back with a lawyer. BA are making it clear that they will defend such cases, and this is reasonable because it's a dangerous distraction. This is commercial reality. If you are going to suggest that the breach caused a burglary or more than what is possible with the data acknowledged to have been lost (and there was a great deal of external analysis pointing to a scrape of the payment screen which has particular and well defined data on), then you will need more than "well, they lost my data once, so who's to say they didn't lose more than they say?" You'll need forensic security experts to prove it.
Let's be clear - I was as annoyed as anyone by the breach, which happened when I was in Amsterdam leaving for the Far East. I spent considerable time checking cards and the effects and understanding what the possible impact was by reading the reports of the various groups that had investigated the breach externally. And then I followed instructions and did what Amex told me to do (which was nothing). It cost me quite a bit of time and effort on lounge wifi in transit which I'd rather have used drinking fizz. Do I think I deserve a gesture? Yes, probably, it would be lovely to get an apology and a chunk of Avios. Do I think I'll get one? See above. Does it worry me? Not unduly, I'll join the class action and wait and see what happens.
My only other concern is over the candor of BA on their IT system resilience. They were very quick to put out press releases, no doubt learning from the IT melt-down last year and avoiding any repeat of the Cruz high-viz jacket incident. However, the press engagement was at pains to present a proactive approach, stating that anyone who may have been affected will be informed by email by 1700 on 26 October. I made sixteen bookings which had an avios element and were made within the time period stated in the BA Announcement - yet I received no email. If I had done, I wouldn't have been surprised and I would have done nothing. However, the fact that having 16 chances of receiving the promised email, I received nothing, makes me wonder whether BA is really on top of all of this at all. I guess time will tell!
Nov 15, 2018, 6:17 am
#1585
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,601
Candour is unfortunately the first casualty of this sort of situation. From the moment the breach started to be managed, all outward communications would go through legal and front line interactions done via a mandatory script.
This is the paradox of GPDR. What is supposed to benefit consumers makes the stakes much higher for companies concerned and so they have to batten down the hatches rather than being open and honest about what happened. Whether BA would have been completely open before GPDR is moot, but they certainly can't risk it now. The breach would have happened with or without GPDR, because IT systems generally (not just at BA) are insecure. But the outcome is that we are third in line after the regulator and the class action lawyers for any sort of compensation, and where PR concerns might have given us some sort of gesture previously, BA are now tooling up with the best lawyers to defend their position before it gets to any sort of general payout.
Meanwhile I'm still playing the proverbial whack a mole on every website I'm visiting to dismiss a cookie permission banner.
This is the paradox of GPDR. What is supposed to benefit consumers makes the stakes much higher for companies concerned and so they have to batten down the hatches rather than being open and honest about what happened. Whether BA would have been completely open before GPDR is moot, but they certainly can't risk it now. The breach would have happened with or without GPDR, because IT systems generally (not just at BA) are insecure. But the outcome is that we are third in line after the regulator and the class action lawyers for any sort of compensation, and where PR concerns might have given us some sort of gesture previously, BA are now tooling up with the best lawyers to defend their position before it gets to any sort of general payout.
Meanwhile I'm still playing the proverbial whack a mole on every website I'm visiting to dismiss a cookie permission banner.
Nov 15, 2018, 4:09 pm
#1586
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 451
We will be offering a 12-month credit rating monitoring service to any affected customer who is concerned about an impact to their credit rating, provided by specialists in the field and will share details of this in the near future.
I emailed BA to ask for access to this. They replied asking to to call Experian (asking me to call what looks like their customer services line). I assume Experian will know what to do as BA have not provided a reference / sign-up link. Have others registered for this by calling the number?
Thanks,
A
I emailed BA to ask for access to this. They replied asking to to call Experian (asking me to call what looks like their customer services line). I assume Experian will know what to do as BA have not provided a reference / sign-up link. Have others registered for this by calling the number?
Thanks,
A
Nov 15, 2018, 10:42 pm
#1587
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Harrogate
Programs: BA, KL, DL
Posts: 996
I finally got affected today by some fraudalent transactions at a Jewish website (?) CHABAD.ORG BROOKLYN, NY, USA.
The first few got approved by Amex but once the scammer tried USD 600 then the entire set of transactions got flagged up by Amex.
New card on the way and all charges reversed.
The first few got approved by Amex but once the scammer tried USD 600 then the entire set of transactions got flagged up by Amex.
New card on the way and all charges reversed.
Nov 15, 2018, 11:55 pm
#1588
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL (for now) and Lifetime Gold, Marriott fan thanks to Bonvoy Moments
Posts: 5,115
It is certainly the case they were the victim of a criminal attack, that's self-evident. It appears that a script was modified and then made live, which suggests poor access control. However were the access to have been granted by an insider, that would be arguably outside their control (and a criminal act).
Nov 16, 2018, 12:04 am
#1589
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de Actes Bénéfiques pour les Autres, BAEC Gold.
Posts: 1,485
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45943735
''Morrisons has lost its challenge to a High Court ruling that it is liable for a data breach that saw thousands of its employees' details posted online.The Court of Appeal upheld the original decision against the supermarket, issued in December 2017.
Workers brought a claim against the company after employee Andrew Skelton stole the data, including salary and bank details, of nearly 100,000 staff''.
Nov 16, 2018, 1:00 am
#1590
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,892
It was Morrisons:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45943735
''Morrisons has lost its challenge to a High Court ruling that it is liable for a data breach that saw thousands of its employees' details posted online.The Court of Appeal upheld the original decision against the supermarket, issued in December 2017.
Workers brought a claim against the company after employee Andrew Skelton stole the data, including salary and bank details, of nearly 100,000 staff''.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45943735
''Morrisons has lost its challenge to a High Court ruling that it is liable for a data breach that saw thousands of its employees' details posted online.The Court of Appeal upheld the original decision against the supermarket, issued in December 2017.
Workers brought a claim against the company after employee Andrew Skelton stole the data, including salary and bank details, of nearly 100,000 staff''.