Brinztech Alert: The Alleged Database of EgyptAir is on Sale

Dark Web News Analysis

The dark web news reports a significant data privacy incident involving EgyptAir, the flag carrier airline of Egypt. A threat actor on a hacker forum is advertising the sale of a database purportedly belonging to the airline’s internal systems.

The seller is asking for $300 USD payable in Monero (XMR), a relatively low price that often accelerates the spread of data to multiple buyers. The leak appears to be focused on the Human Resources (HR) and recruitment infrastructure, evidenced by specific table names such as Egyptair_HROLC_users.csv, Egyptair_HROLC_ApplicantsResults.csv, and Egyptair_HROLC_FinalResults.csv.

The compromised data is extensive, including Usernames, Passwords (hashed or plain text), National IDs, Email Addresses, Phone Numbers, and sensitive Applicant Information. Additionally, the dump allegedly includes documents retrieved from staff emails, suggesting a breach that goes beyond structured databases into unstructured communication logs.

Key Cybersecurity Insights

Breaches of airline HR portals are “Tier 1” corporate threats because they expose both the workforce and the internal administrative hierarchy:

• The Recruitment Vector: The specific exposure of “HROLC” (HR Online Center) tables indicates the attackers likely exploited a vulnerability in the external-facing recruitment portal. Hackers often target these portals because they are less secured than flight operation systems but still connected to the main internal network.
• Admin Credential Theft: The Egyptair_HROLC_users.csv table likely contains Administrator Credentials. If attackers can crack these hashes, they gain high-level access to the HR system, allowing them to modify employee records, approve fake applicants, or pivot to other connected EgyptAir subsystems.
• National ID Exposure: The leak of National IDs is critical for Egyptian citizens. In many regions, the National ID is a primary authenticator for banking and government services. Leaking this, alongside phone numbers and full names, creates a perfect kit for identity theft and SIM swapping.
• Unstructured Data Risk: The claim of “documents from staff emails” is alarming. This could include internal memos, security protocols, or passport scans of crew members sent via email attachments, providing deep intelligence for Corporate Espionage or physical security bypass attempts.

Mitigation Strategies

To protect airline operations and employee privacy, the following strategies are recommended:

• Portal Shutdown: Immediately take the HROLC (Recruitment) portal offline to patch the vulnerability (likely SQL Injection or IDOR) and prevent further exfiltration.
• Global Password Reset: Force a password reset for all staff accounts, particularly those with administrative access to HR systems. Ensure that no new “admin” accounts were stealthily created by the attacker.
• ** applicant Notification:** Notify all recent job applicants that their personal data and results may have been compromised. They should be warned to watch for phishing emails claiming to be from “EgyptAir Recruitment.”
• Email Audit: Conduct a forensic review of the affected staff email accounts to determine exactly which documents were accessed or downloaded.

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