BBC Information, Sydney
ReutersQantas is contacting clients after a cyber assault focused their third-party customer support platform.
On 30 June, the Australian airline detected “uncommon exercise” on a platform utilized by its contact centre to retailer the info of six million individuals, together with names, e mail addresses, cellphone numbers, start dates and frequent flyer numbers.
Upon detection of the breach, Qantas took “speedy steps and contained the system”, in line with a press release.
The corporate remains to be investigating the total extent of the breach, however says it’s anticipating the proportion of knowledge stolen to be “vital”.
It has assured the general public that passport particulars, bank card particulars and private monetary data weren’t held within the breached system, and no frequent flyer accounts, passwords or PIN numbers have been compromised.
Qantas has notified the Australian Federal Police of the breach, in addition to the Australian Cyber Safety Centre and the Workplace of the Australian Data Commissioner.
“We sincerely apologise to our clients and we recognise the uncertainty this may trigger,” stated Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson.
She requested clients to name the devoted help line if they’d issues, and confirmed that there can be no impression to Qantas’ operations or the security of the airline.
The assault comes simply days after the FBI issued an alert on X warning that the airline sector was a goal of cyber prison group Scattered Spider.
US-based Hawaiian Airways and Canada’s WestJet have each been impacted by related cyber assaults up to now two weeks.
BBC revealed that the group has additionally been the key focus of an investigation into the wave of cyber attacks on UK retailers, together with M&S.
The Qantas breach is the most recent in a string of Australian information breaches this yr, with AustralianSuper and 9 Media struggling vital leaks up to now few months.
In March 2025, the Workplace of the Australian Data Commissioner (OAIC) launched statistics revealing that 2024 was the worst yr for information breaches in Australia since information started in 2018.
“The traits we’re observing recommend the specter of information breaches, particularly by way of the efforts of malicious actors, is unlikely to decrease,” stated Australian Privateness Commissioner Carly Form in a press release from the OAIC.
Ms Form urged companies and authorities companies to step up safety measures and information safety, and highlighted that each the non-public and public sectors are weak to cyber assaults.
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