Qantas data breach affects 6 million customer accounts

Australian airline Qantas confirms cybersecurity breach

Australian airline Qantas has confirmed a cybersecurity breach that impacts the personal data of six million customers. On Monday, Qantas detected a cyberattack in one of its contact centers. Customer names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and frequent flyer numbers are among the data accessed. Credit card details, personal financial information, and passport details were not exposed. The hackers might be part of a group called “Scattered Spider,” reported Bleeping Computer.

Recent targeting of aviation and transportation industries

Qantas has not revealed the source of the cyberattack, but the group has recently been targeting aviation and transportation industries. WestJet and Hawaiian Airlines both recently experienced data hacks. Cybersecurity firms have noticed that Scattered Spider has added airlines to their target list, shifting focus from insurance and retail companies.

Response and actions taken by Qantas

After learning of the breach, Qantas notified the Australian Cyber Security Center, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and the Australian Federal Police. The airline has established a customer support hotline and a dedicated webpage with updates and key information for affected customers. Customers can call the hotline for specialist identity protection advice and resources. Mashable has contacted Qantas for further information regarding the breach.