In a bid to assure its passengers and stakeholders, South African Airways (SAA) has announced the recovery of its systems following a significant cyber incident that disrupted its services for several days. The attack, which began on 3 May, affected online access to the airline’s website, mobile application, and several internal systems, resulting in a temporary strain on customer service operations.
Upon detection of the cyber attack, SAA promptly activated its disaster management and business continuity protocols. “These swift actions successfully contained the incident and minimised disruption to core flight operations,” the airline stated in a recent announcement. Importantly, SAA ensured that essential customer service channels, including its contact centres and sales offices, remained functional during the outage.
The airline had to rely heavily on its call centre to manage crucial customer engagements, such as flight bookings, as digital services were suspended. Now, with the full functionality restored, SAA is working diligently to keep its clients informed regarding the situation.
While the specifics of the cyber attack remain under wraps, with no confirmation whether it was ransomware-related, its implications highlight a growing concern over cybersecurity in South Africa. Over the past year, numerous public and private sector organisations in the country have fallen victim to similar attacks, raising alarms about the increasing prevalence of ransomware attacks.
To address the incident thoroughly, SAA has initiated a forensic investigation and has submitted statutory reports to the State Security Agency, police, and South Africa’s Information Regulator. “The security of our business systems and protection of consumer data entrusted to us remain our highest priority,” the airline affirmed, though it has yet to ascertain the full extent of the impact on the personal information of its clients and employees. Affected parties will be contacted directly with relevant details once more information is available.
As SAA navigates the aftermath of this cyber breach, the airline continues to emphasise its commitment to restoring trust and ensuring the security of its systems for the safety of all passengers and stakeholders.