Hackers breach Tirol booking websites and expose customer data

Hackers accessed booking websites used by tourism associations in Tirol, potentially exposing the phone numbers and personal details of thousands of guests, ORF Tirol reported. Four associations in the region are affected, along with tourism associations in Salzburg and Styria.

Guests of Tirol accommodation providers were contacted on WhatsApp in recent days by senders based in India, who sent links related to their bookings in an apparent attempt to obtain money. The attackers are believed to have obtained the phone numbers through the compromised websites, Klaus Gleirscher, managing director of the Stubai tourism association, told ORF Tirol.

The other affected Tirol associations are in Serfaus, Seefeld and Ischgl. IT services provider Feratel said the data was obtained through an interface partner, not directly through Feratel. The security vulnerability has since been closed. Credit card details and login credentials were not affected, the company said.

Feratel said about 1,700 businesses linked to the four Tirol associations could potentially be affected. Based on responses from the associations, it currently estimates that around a third may be involved, including businesses with future bookings. The extent of the affected booking period is not yet known.

The incident also affects several tourism associations in Salzburg and all tourism associations in Styria. No cases have been reported in Upper Austria, Vorarlberg or Burgenland. The data protection authority has received reports, and a forensic investigation involving internal and external experts is under way. No financial losses have been confirmed.