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The incident may have affected 43,000 people, according to ABTA officials who are reaching out to those affected and have also set up a dedicated helpline for the same.
The Information Commissioner’s Office and the Police have been alerted about the incident and are looking into the matter. The ICO is one of the main body responsible for helping the public manage their personal data.
In a statement to the press, Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, voiced his concerns about the incident and mentioned how it was a disappointment for ABTA that their server was compromised.
Mr. Tanzer also apologized to the customers about the anxiety and concern caused by the incident and ensured that all possible steps were being taken to help those who are affected.
ABTA said that the type of data which may have been accessed included personal information of registered members and users such as email address and passwords, any data uploaded by ABTA members in context of their membership, data uploaded to support a complaint made about an ABTA member since 11th January 2017 and the contact details of the customer who used the website to register a complaint.
Although there is a low exposure risk to identity theft or online fraud with this kind of data, ABTA still suggested customers who had uploaded their contact details or documentation on the website to constantly monitor their online accounts for any suspicious activity.
They also advised their customers and members registered on the site to change their passwords as a “safety measure”. In a move to help their customers, they have also offered people who may be affected with a free-of-charge identity theft protection service.
