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Australia's national carrier, Qantas Airways, has disclosed a significant cyberattack affecting approximately six million customers. The breach occurred through unauthorized access to a third-party customer service platform used by a Qantas call center. Exposed data includes customer names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and frequent flyer numbers, however, the company reports that no financial data, passport details, passwords, or login credentials were compromised. The airline detected the unusual activity on Monday and took immediate action to bring the system back under control.

Qantas has launched an investigation into the incident, working closely with government authorities and cybersecurity experts. The airline has notified Australia’s National Cyber Security Coordinator, the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Privacy Commissioner, and the Federal Police, reflecting the severity of the situation. Initial reports suggest the Scattered Spider group, known for targeting the aviation sector, may be linked to the attack. Qantas is also enhancing security measures by tightening access controls and improving system monitoring.

Vanessa Hudson, Qantas Group Managing Director, has sincerely apologized to customers, acknowledging the uncertainty caused by the breach. A special customer support hotline and dedicated webpage have been established to provide information and assistance to those affected. While Qantas assures that the cyberattack has not impacted flight operations or the safety of the airline, cybersecurity experts warn that the stolen customer data could potentially be used for identity theft and other fraudulent activities. This incident underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and vigilance in protecting sensitive customer information, particularly within third-party platforms.

ImgSrc: thecyberexpress

References :

• techxplore.com: Australian airline Qantas says hit by 'significant' cyberattack
• thecyberexpress.com: Australia’s Qantas Confirms Cyberattack: 6 Million Service Records Compromised
• www.bleepingcomputer.com: Qantas discloses cyberattack amid Scattered Spider aviation breaches
• www.it-daily.net: Australian airline Qantas victim of cyber attack
• securityaffairs.com: Qantas confirms customer data breach amid Scattered Spider attacks
• Malwarebytes: Qantas: Breach affects 6 million people, “significant” amount of data likely taken
• Cybersecurity Blog: Qantas Data Breach: Scattered Spider Takes to the Skies?
• Rescana: Qantas Airlines API Breach: Exploited Vulnerability Exposes 6 Million Customer Records
• Talkback Resources: The Breach Beyond the Runway: Cybercriminals Targeted Qantas Through a Trusted Partner
• techcrunch.com: Qantas hack results in theft of 6 million passengers’ personal data
• www.qantas.com: Qantas statement about the incident.
• Zack Whittaker: Weekly cybersecurity newsletter featuring Qantas' data breach.

Classification:

• HashTags: #Qantas #Cyberattack #DataBreach
• Company: Qantas
• Target: Qantas customers
• Product: Qantas Airways Limited
• Feature: Customer service platform
• Type: DataBreach
• Severity: Major