Global Airline Passenger Data Breach Exposes Frequent Flyer Information A sophisticated cyberattack on Sita, a Geneva-based IT provider serving approximately 90% of the global aviation industry, has compromised the personal data of hundreds of thousands of airline passengers worldwide. The breach, detected on 24 February, targeted Sita’s passenger service system (PSS) servers, which handle ticketing, baggage processing, and other critical operations for major airlines. Sita, which supports the Star Alliance—including carriers like Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, United, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, and Malaysia Airlines—confirmed the incident in a statement, describing it as a "highly sophisticated attack." The company acted swiftly to contain the breach and launched an investigation with external cybersecurity experts. Affected airlines were notified, with Air New Zealand informing passengers via email that the breach exposed frequent flyer data, including names, membership numbers, and tier status. However, the compromised data did not include passwords, credit card details, passport numbers, or travel itineraries. The breach highlights vulnerabilities in shared aviation IT infrastructure, as Star Alliance members routinely exchange passenger data to facilitate loyalty program benefits. Sita’s U.S.-based subsidiary, SITA Passenger Service System (US) Inc, operates the affected servers in Atlanta, though the company’s headquarters remain in Switzerland. Investigations into the attack remain ongoing.