- Westjet says he is experiencing a cyber incident
- The airline confirms that it is addressing the problem, but interruptions are possible
- No one assumed responsibility still
Apparently, Westjet has suffered a cyber attack that has interrupted some of its services, including the impact of the airline website and mobile application.
The company confirmed the news in a security notice published on its website, pointing out: “Westjet is aware of a cybersecurity incident that involves internal systems and the Westjet application, which has restricted access for several users.”
“We have activated internal teams specialized in cooperation with the application of the law and the transport of Canada to investigate the matter and limit the impacts.”
Stable operations
The company did not share any other additional detail, so we do not know who the threat actors are, when the violation took place, how it happened or what was its goal.
No one has assumed the responsibility of the attack at the time of publication.
In an update published on June 15, the airline said that some guests can “temporarily find interruption or intermittent errors while using the Westjet and/or Westjet.com application,” adds that it is working to solve the problems.
“Our operations remain safe and stable and are not affected by the situation. Westjet thanks our guests, our people and our partners for their support and patience. Regular updates will continue to be provided as more details are shared.”
Although it is not specifically indicated, when cyber attacks interrupt the networks in this way and make some services unusable, it usually ends up being a ransomware attack. These attacks encrypt data in key systems, which makes them inaccessible. At the same time, the attackers exfilt the key information to use as leverage during the negotiation process.
Companies close their systems to avoid additional damage, additional encryptions or file transfer.
Westjet is one of the largest airlines in Canada, which operates around 180 aircraft and serves about 100 destinations in almost 30 countries.
Through Bleepingcomputer