UAE airline Flydubai has been listed on the dark web leak site of the Russia-linked Everest ransomware group, which claims to have stolen 4.36GB of company data.
According to Cybernews, the group claims the information includes 2,862 employees across more than 17,000 records, with data dating from 2009 to 2020.
The alleged records include employee names, identification numbers, job titles, training completion dates and qualification checks. Everest also claims to have obtained pilot training materials and confidential manufacturer documents.
The ransomware group has reportedly given Flydubai six days to negotiate. However, it has not released samples or screenshots to publicly verify its claims, and Flydubai had not responded publicly to the incident at the time of reporting.
Why Employee Data Is A Concern
Ian Thornton-Trump, chief information security officer at cybersecurity firm Inversion6, described the alleged attack as appearing consistent with the work of an experienced data-extortion group.
He warned that employee information could be particularly valuable to cybercriminals because it could be used in phishing and other forms of social engineering fraud.
The alleged theft also raises concerns around how long-term employee records are stored and protected, particularly where they contain personally identifiable information.
Boeing Data Also Allegedly Exposed
Everest is additionally claiming to possess the installation package for Boeing’s Performance Engineers Tool (PET 3.2).
The software is used for aviation calculations including take-off weights, landing distances and fuel planning. The hackers reportedly claim the package contains more than 2,800 files, with many allegedly marked as Boeing proprietary or confidential.
Thornton-Trump said the alleged Boeing material may be less immediately valuable to cybercriminals than employee data, but its exposure could still raise questions about how sensitive information is protected between airlines, manufacturers and other industry partners.
Neither Flydubai nor Boeing had publicly confirmed the alleged breach at the time of reporting.
The incident could also attract regulatory attention, given the cybersecurity requirements applying across the aviation sector.
Main Image: Airline Routes and Ground Services
