Morning Star Tours Data Breach Exposes Sensitive Traveler Information
Shamis & Gentile P.A., a law firm specializing in data breach litigation, is investigating a cyberattack targeting Morning Star Tours, a Texas-based travel company that organizes Biblical tours to destinations like the Holy Land, Greece, and Turkey. The breach, which occurred between April 22 and 23, 2026, was discovered by the company on April 30, 2026, prompting an investigation with forensic experts.
The PEAR ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging they exfiltrated 1.2 TB of data. While the total number of affected individuals remains undisclosed, 8,651 Texas residents and 63 Vermont residents were confirmed impacted.
Exposed data includes:
- Names
- Social Security numbers
- Government-issued ID numbers (passports, state IDs)
- Dates of birth
Morning Star Tours, headquartered in Dallas, partners with churches, universities, and ministries to facilitate group travel. The breach stemmed from a compromise of a third-party technology provider. Legal representatives are evaluating potential compensation claims for affected individuals.
Source: https://www.claimdepot.com/investigations/morning-star-tours-data-breach-2026
Morning Star Tours cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/morningstartours
"id": "MOR1780677109",
"linkid": "morningstartours",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "4/2026",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '8,651 Texas residents and 63 '
'Vermont residents',
'industry': 'Travel and Tourism',
'location': 'Dallas, Texas, USA',
'name': 'Morning Star Tours',
'type': 'Travel Company'}],
'attack_vector': 'Third-party technology provider compromise',
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': '1.2 TB of data',
'personally_identifiable_information': 'Yes',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Names',
'Social Security numbers',
'Government-issued ID numbers',
'Dates of birth']},
'date_detected': '2026-04-30',
'description': 'Shamis & Gentile P.A. is investigating a cyberattack '
'targeting Morning Star Tours, a Texas-based travel company '
'that organizes Biblical tours. The breach exposed sensitive '
'traveler information, including names, Social Security '
'numbers, government-issued ID numbers, and dates of birth. '
'The PEAR ransomware group claimed responsibility for the '
'attack, alleging they exfiltrated 1.2 TB of data.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': '1.2 TB of data exfiltrated',
'identity_theft_risk': 'High'},
'initial_access_broker': {'entry_point': 'Third-party technology provider'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
'post_incident_analysis': {'root_causes': 'Third-party technology provider '
'compromise'},
'ransomware': {'data_exfiltration': '1.2 TB of data',
'ransomware_strain': 'PEAR'},
'references': [{'source': 'Shamis & Gentile P.A.'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': 'Potential compensation claims '
'being evaluated'},
'response': {'third_party_assistance': 'Forensic experts'},
'threat_actor': 'PEAR ransomware group',
'title': 'Morning Star Tours Data Breach Exposes Sensitive Traveler '
'Information',
'type': 'Data Breach, Ransomware'}