Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) recently released a statement regarding the boarding pass bug that allowed passengers to access someone else’s boarding pass.
This particular security glitch could not have come at a worst time now that we’re in the holiday travel season. Thanks to this bug, passengers could easily use the website to trade their own boarding pass URL with another passenger’s boarding pass and then use it for themselves. The bug was initially discovered on Monday when a security researcher named Dani Grant who works as a Buzzfeed intern and is a founder of Hackers of NY.
A concern for safety
Grant claimed the bug allowed her to switch URLs to generate boarding passes for flights on Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL). Paul Skrbec, a representative for Delta, reports the bug has since been fixed and that Delta’s information tech teams resolved the issue quickly to prevent future problems.
Skrbec also said there was no impact on flight safety with the bug. At press time, Delta does not know of any compromised accounts. He added, “We routinely monitor and perform analysis of data to ensure privacy for our customers. We apologize for any concern this [the bug] may have caused.”
Grant opens up about security flaw
Grant added on Twitter that the security flaw could have been taken advantage of for nefarious purposes, but airport safety procedures would have prevented lapses. Gizmodo contacted Grant for more information involving the incident. She sent two URLs. The first URL was used in early November for a flight between Los Angeles and San Francisco. She claimed she changed one single digit on her pass URL. She could even log into Delta’s site as other passengers and change seating assignments or access other personal details.
In the age of technology, the need for safety and security has become even more important. The fact Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) got to the bottom of the matter right away is a good thing, but only time will tell how this affects the company’s image.
