NightsBridge Breach Tied to Reservation Hijack Scams in SA

In Short

NightsBridge says an AI agent was used in a breach that exposed a back office booking summary list.

The company says no sensitive guest data or payment information was accessed. But attackers can still use booking dates and reference numbers to run realistic WhatsApp scams.

What Happened: NightsBridge Data Breach And AI Agent Use

NightsBridge told clients and customers about a data breach after reviewing the incident.

The company said an AI agent was used to compromise a back office summary list. That gave access to customer data such as full names, email addresses, contact details, booking reference numbers, and other information about client companies.

NightsBridge managing director Theresa Emerick said the booking summary had “very limited information” and that there was “no sensitive guest information or payment information.” She added that the booking dates and booking number could still be enough to create a WhatsApp spoof “that could have looked fairly realistic.”

Why It Matters: Booking Details Can Still Enable Fraud

It said South African customers have been affected by data breaches involving digital accommodation platforms including Booking.com, LekkeSlaap, NightsBridge and Hospitality Technology International (HTI).

South Africans have reported “reservation hijacking” attacks, which are phishing scams where criminals impersonate a hotel or property and try to redirect payments. Cybersecurity researcher Willem Steynberg warned that WhatsApp messages asking for a deposit into a new account may include real booking reference numbers.

Steynberg also said LekkeSlaap told guests that names, email addresses, phone numbers and booking references were taken through its calendar sync system. He said no card numbers or ID numbers were taken in either case.

The industry was valued at an estimated $12.19 billion (R200 billion) in 2026, according to Mordor Intelligence, and includes accommodation, dining, and entertainment.