Korean Air: Personal information of workers was exposed after a cyber assault on a supplier

Korean Air: According to industry insiders on Monday, a cyberattack on a partner company that provides in-flight meals and onboard sales services resulted in the disclosure of employee personal information at Korean Air, the biggest flag airline in South Korea.

The sources claim that earlier in the day, Korean Air notified staff members internally that KC&D, the airline’s onboard sales and catering provider, had recently been the target of a hacking group’s strike, according to Yonhap news agency.

It was the most current in a string of recent data breach instances involving large companies from a variety of industries, such as Shinhan Card Co., KT Corp., and Coupang Inc.

The airline claims that the hack exposed names and phone numbers of Korean Air workers’ personal information that was kept on KC&D’s systems.

According to Korean Air, it learned about the issue via KC&D and has since taken urgent emergency security precautions and contacted the appropriate authorities.

It also cautioned staff members to be on the lookout for any strange emails or texts in order to prevent additional harm.

As part of its merger with Asiana Airlines, the nation’s flag airline, Korean Air, was told by the antitrust authority last week to update its mileage integration plan.

According to Yonhap news agency, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has instructed Korean Air to present a more comprehensive plan within a month, including procedures for the usage of bonus tickets and seat upgrade services.

Customers of Asiana will be allowed to utilize the miles they have accrued for ten years after Asiana’s closure under the September-approved plan, preserving its existing worth without requiring further action.

A contract to buy a majority share in Asiana Airlines was signed by Korean Air in November 2020, and the transaction was completed in December 2024 after a lengthy assessment procedure by international competition regulators.