Data Protection Issue

[davyjones]

Hi,

I have received an email from Cunard with a spreadsheet file attached giving me the booking reference and names and email address of 1225 passengers. This information would allow me to see all the information such as address, contact number and passport information that you need to enter before your cruise. My name and number is on the list. A later email from Cunard asked me to disregard the email. Has anyone else had this email? Any thoughts as to whom to contact at Cunard?

DJ

[ocngypz]

OMG!!!!!!!!

Obviously sent in error. I would call 1-800-5-CUNARD.

[davyjones]

Having spoken to a lady at Cunard they are in the process of shutting down the Voyage Personalizers for all 1225 people. I assume people will be issued with new booking references as I have. It is about time the likes of cruise lines and airlines allowed one to set an additional password to supplement only needing the booking reference and person's name to access their details.

DJ.

[bluemarble]

Originally Posted by davyjones

Having spoken to a lady at Cunard they are in the process of shutting down the Voyage Personalizers for all 1225 people. I assume people will be issued with new booking references as I have. It is about time the likes of cruise lines and airlines allowed one to set an additional password to supplement only needing the booking reference and person's name to access their details.

DJ.

Thanks for the heads-up, DJ.

It looks like they have shut down the Voyage Personaliser for everyone at the moment. I was logged in a few minutes ago. Now when I try to access the Voyage Personaliser it says:

!
The system is offline at the moment.
We are working to restore it.
Please try again later.

[ToadOfToadHall]

Now that is "dropping a cod" !

[Mr_Phoebe_Cat]

Ouch.

I'd drop a line to http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/data_protection.aspx as well

[Lanky Lad]

If you are in the UK I would report this to the Information Commissioners office. It's just unacceptable.

[davyjones]

I have emailed several of the people on the list to see if they too received the email with the attachment.

On a slightly different note having so many booking ref numbers to look at at once one immediately sees they are not as random as one might think. The first two characters are all the same, the third has about 6 variations and the remaining three are random. It would not take too long to write a script to churn through the now not so many permutations together with a bunch of common fore and surnames and see if you get a match.

[Cruachan]

Originally Posted by davyjones

I have emailed several of the people on the list to see if they too received the email with the attachment.

On a slightly different note having so many booking ref numbers to look at at once one immediately sees they are not as random as one might think. The first two characters are all the same, the third has about 6 variations and the remaining three are random. It would not take too long to write a script to churn through the now not so many permutations together with a bunch of common fore and surnames and see if you get a match.

What would you do with the match once you had found it?

J

[darrencantwait]

I got this email as well. I am on the Nov. 20 W'bound crossing. I called Cunard and they said this was impossible. I had to reassure them that the document was right in front of me, and I can send it to them if they like, before they would get a supervisor. She said this was the first they had heard of it (I'm in the USA). She offered to rebook me, but in no way made it sound like they were automatically rebooking everybody. I had to call to initiate this.

I'm further dismayed that Cunard has not sent out an apology to all on the list for such a grievance. I feel like they completely do not understand the gravity of the situation. I actually had to ASK for an apology. Pitty.

[capnpugwash]

Originally Posted by Cruachan

What would you do with the match once you had found it?

J

You could put it all on Wiki-Anorak

[Cruachan]

Originally Posted by capnpugwash

You could put it all on Wiki-Anorak

I hope nobody cancels my shore excursions!



J

[davyjones]

Originally Posted by Cruachan

What would you do with the match once you had found it?

J

Nothing as I'm a good guy but someone who wasn't might have a trawl for QG bookings (as that's where the money is ), get their address and telephone number, ring up when they are away and if no answer pay a visit.

The script is relatively easy to write. I use a similar idea to do pretend bookings so I can get back the detailed cabin prices and then send myself an email when they change. You would be surprised how often cabin grades switch between showing no availability and available. I suppose this is the time the upgrade fairy is on duty freeing up the cheaper cabins.

[Jimsgirl]

Originally Posted by darrencantwait

I got this email as well. I am on the Nov. 20 W'bound crossing. I called Cunard and they said this was impossible. I had to reassure them that the document was right in front of me, and I can send it to them if they like, before they would get a supervisor. She said this was the first they had heard of it (I'm in the USA). She offered to rebook me, but in no way made it sound like they were automatically rebooking everybody. I had to call to initiate this.

I'm further dismayed that Cunard has not sent out an apology to all on the list for such a grievance. I feel like they completely do not understand the gravity of the situation. I actually had to ASK for an apology. Pitty.

Very upsetting, and not at all smart of the supervisor to say "that is impossible" !!!!! As though you would call if it were not so.

To quote an English saying "Some mothers do have them".

[darrencantwait]

my concern is that this is a pretty tasty list that a lot of marketers would pay money for. I don't need any more email. In the end, it's a convenience for than a serious data security issue. But, it's not a great indicator of how Cunard/Carnival Corp treats their data privacy.

[Underwatr]

Nothing like 1200+ but before our Oct TA we got a notification email about some trivial thing and it included the names and booking numbers of two other sets of passengers. I ignored it, but I guess I could have signed the others up for shore excursions or something.

[Salacia]

Originally Posted by ToadOfToadHall

Now that is "dropping a cod" !

Ut-OH. that's bad.
Worse than dropping a flounder, or a trout even.

OP, thank you for the alert. I don't fancy having my passport number compromised (or any of the information I supplied on -line while booking a cruise or voyage.)

[Salacia]

Originally Posted by Cruachan

I hope nobody cancels my shore excursions!



J

Shore excursions are not SURE excusions.
read the fine print

[Salacia]

Originally Posted by darrencantwait

my concern is that this is a pretty tasty list that a lot of marketers would pay money for. I don't need any more email. In the end, it's a convenience for than a serious data security issue. But, it's not a great indicator of how Cunard/Carnival Corp treats their data privacy.

I don't understand your comment: "it's a convenience for than a serious data security issue". To whom would it be a convenience?

[Salacia]

Originally Posted by Underwatr

Nothing like 1200+ but before our Oct TA we got a notification email about some trivial thing and it included the names and booking numbers of two other sets of passengers. I ignored it, but I guess I could have signed the others up for shore excursions or something.

With a name and booking number, there are many things one could do, and far less beign than being signed up for shore excursions or something. You didn't ask, and I would not even if you had asked about what could do with a name and booking number. I' sure you could figure it out by yourself anyway.

I have great respect for the security team on board QM2, but the IT people have dropped the ball (or the cod, or whatever you want to call a serious breach of security).



As much as I enjoy a good laugh, is this security breach really funny?