![\"Air](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/137F\/production\/_103219940_5a06862c-ceba-424c-ad94-0ec072379a66.jpg\")
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According to the\u00a0Canadian government’s own cyber-security advice,<\/a>\u00a0all passwords should “include at least one character that isn’t a letter or number” and be a minimum length of eight characters.<\/p>\n The firm said it has adopted “improved password guidelines”.<\/p>\n Its app now says that passwords should be at least 10 characters long and contain one symbol.<\/p>\n Air Canada said that it detected unusual login activity between 22 and 24 August and decided to lock down all 1.7 million of its accounts as a consequence.<\/p>\n It believes data has been stolen from about 20,000 of these, and has informed members of this group via email.<\/p>\n However, all customers will need to reset their logins to use the app again.<\/p>\n The airline says customers’ credit card details were encrypted, so should not be at risk.<\/p>\n But basic profile data that could have been exposed includes names, email addresses and phone numbers.<\/p>\n In addition, it warned the following details may also have been copied if they had been provided:<\/p>\n The City of London’s Action Fraud team told the BBC that the “consequences of having your passport information accessed can be severe”.<\/p>\n It said banks, insurance firms and mobile phone providers were among businesses that request the data to set up accounts, but do not always require sight of the physical document.<\/p>\n Victims can face wrecked credit scores and bills, from which it can take months to extricate themselves.<\/p>\n In some cases, Action Fraud added, it is even possible to use the information to obtain genuine documents such as driving licences and new passports.<\/p>\n “The loss of passport data in this breach makes it unusual,” commented Prof Alan Woodward, from the University of Surrey.<\/p>\n “Like driving licences, passports are considered government-issued ID and it is assumed that only the holder will know the contents.<\/p>\n “But we’re at the point where so much sensitive data is being released via such breaches that we can no longer assume that mere knowledge of what is written in a passport is sufficient to verify ID online.”<\/p>\n Air Canada has recommended that its customers “regularly review their financial transactions, be aware of any changes to their credit rating, and contact their financial services provider” if they become aware of unusual activity.<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n