The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) in Hong Kong has launched an investigation into data security failures at three major companies: Hong Kong Airlines, Yoho, and Broadway. According to the commissioner, the personal information of approximately 2,000 customers was compromised, leading to a wave of scam calls targeting those individuals.

The PCPD confirmed it has received over 40 formal inquiries and complaints regarding the incidents. While the investigation is ongoing, the commissioner’s office has already initiated formal inquiries into the security protocols of the affected businesses to determine how the data was accessed and why it was not adequately protected.

There is currently no information regarding whether the breaches were linked to a single coordinated cyberattack or if they were isolated incidents occurring at each respective company. The retailers, Yoho and Broadway, along with Hong Kong Airlines, are expected to cooperate with the privacy watchdog to identify the root cause of the leaks. The commissioner has emphasized the importance of data protection laws in the city, noting that companies are legally obligated to safeguard the personal data they collect from consumers. As of now, the companies involved have not released detailed public statements regarding the specific nature of the technical vulnerabilities that led to the exposure of customer records.