The reason why you are not allowed to upload a photo of the boarding pass to social networks

Excited about boarding the plane and have to share your boarding pass on social media?

After reading what this Israeli security expert has to say, you will not do it again

Walla!

Tourism

26/06/2022

Sunday, 26 June 2022, 08:11 Updated: 08:16

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EL AL staff receive passengers at Ramon Airport (Photo: EL AL)

On the way abroad this summer like almost half a world? Look for a moment at your boarding pass. Do you notice anything special? It looks like a random collection of numbers and letters that you have no idea what they mean. Well, all those numbers and letters The boarding pass is there for some reason, mainly to provide the airlines with information about you, but how can you really be sure that the information in those numbers and letters is indeed secure from those who may be plotting to disclose it? The answer may upset you a little.

It looks like a random collection of numbers and letters, but it's not.

Boarding pass (Photo: ShutterStock)

Guessing also led to a hack into the system

An article published on the Popular Mechanics website states that if you notice a six-digit code on your boarding pass, you may want to take a few more steps to protect your information.

Noam Rotem, an Israeli security researcher, said in the same interview that hackers can find your passenger name record (PNR, also called "passenger name list") using the same six-digit code printed on boarding passes and luggage cards.

Rotem even proved his theory through the online booking system "Amadeus".

While he has not done so on other popular booking sites, his theory remains the same, no matter where you book your flight ticket from.

"Only by guessing the PNR code was I able to access personal data and change customers' contact information," he said in an interview.

"This has been confirmed both by El Al's VP and by the Amadeus team."

More on Walla!

The mistake in the flight ticket that can leave you at the airport

To the full article

Hackers can find the passenger's name using the code on the boarding pass (Photo: ShutterStock)

Can also steal your identity

Travel and Leisure states that gaining access to PNR codes will allow a hacker to perform various actions with your personal information, including stealing frequent flyer club emails, exchanging seats and meals or even changing a customer's email and phone number, in a way that allows a hacker to cancel or change flight reservations Customer service.

According to the site, these outdated systems remain unprotected today, against the background of ever-improving technology.

In addition, some passengers who are unaware of the presence of the six-digit codes may share photos of their boarding passes on social media, thus opening the door to stealing their identities.

Currently, Amadeus has developed a solution to the PNR problem, but if you really want to protect yourself, be sure to keep this code confidential and secure, just as you do with your credit card number.

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