Posting pictures of your boarding pass on the Internet could be dangerous

folarin okunola

October 8, 2015 5:06 PM

According to a blog post by security guru Brian Krebs, potential oversharers do not realise just how much information an airplane boarding pass contains

Passport and boarding pass

Posting pictures of your boarding pass on the Internet could get you hurt – I don’t just mean colleagues jealous of your trip to the ‘promise land.’

According to a blog post by security guru Brian Krebs, potential oversharers do not realise just how much information an airplane boarding pass contains – all hidden in ‘plane’ sight in the barcode.

The data, in addition to the flyer’s first and last name, also includes the traveler’s origin and destination airports along with the flyer’s frequent flyer number – and all it takes for someone to make use of all this information is a quick visit to a free online barcode reader.

That frequent flyer number alone can be used to access someone’s account and potentially alter the traveler’s itinerary, according to Tech Insider’s Tim Stenovec.

READ: Austrian student wins legal battle against Facebook

Inasmuch as this will be a blow to all the jet-setters across the Internet, sites like Instagram and Facebook will continue to be filled with boastful photos of boarding passes to exotic destinations.

Like they say, a word is enough for the wise.

folarin okunola