CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For the second time in 30 days, US Airways has reported a data breach of confidential information in North Carolina.
The airline estimates it impacted nearly 500 customers in the Tar Heel state and 7,700 overall.
US Airways first realized there had been a breach when customers noticed some of their frequent flyer miles were missing.
Eyewitness News reported last week that US Airways employees' information may have been accessed because of a breach in the airline's payroll company's software. The breach was reported to North Carolina authorities July 18, although it occurred before May 4.
This latest breach, however, was unauthorized access to US Airways' own system.
In this case, hackers gained access to customers' usernames and passwords for Dividend Miles accounts.
Those accounts include information like birthdays, addresses, answers to security questions and the last four digits of credit cards. In some cases, the airline says mileage was stolen from people's accounts.
US Airways released a statement that said in part it will "restore all mileage balances as quickly as possible." It's also providing customers with free identity theft monitoring for a year and has hired an outside security firm to review the company's security.
WSOC
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