Did a Cyber Attack Affect Over Five Million Qantas Customers?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 5.7 million customer records compromised.
- 2.8 million records included sensitive information.
- Enhanced cybersecurity measures are now in place.
- Qantas is in contact with security authorities.
- Customers should remain vigilant against phishing attempts.
Sydney, July 9 (NationPress) The Australian airline Qantas has verified that a cyberattack in late June impacted more than five million customers. The airline disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that a forensic review revealed that 5.7 million customer records were compromised during the June 30 breach of a third-party system utilized by an offshore call center.
Among the 5.7 million records, approximately 2.8 million included names, email addresses, and Qantas frequent flyer numbers, while an extra 1.2 million contained solely names and email addresses.
The remaining 1.7 million records included more detailed information, such as addresses, birth dates, phone numbers, and meal preferences.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson stated that the airline commenced contacting affected customers to inform them about the specific personal data that was compromised, according to reports from Xinhua.
Since the incident, Vanessa Hudson mentioned that several enhanced cybersecurity measures have been implemented to better safeguard customer data and that a thorough investigation is ongoing.
The attack was initially reported by Qantas on July 2, with the airline later confirming that they were approached by a hacker claiming responsibility.
Hudson affirmed that Qantas is maintaining communication with the National Cyber Security Coordinator, Australian Cyber Security Center, and the Australian Federal Police regarding this incident.
Customers are urged to remain vigilant, particularly with emails, phone calls, and messages from individuals claiming to represent Qantas.
Qantas has assured that no personal data stolen during the attack has been made public and that they are actively monitoring the situation with the help of cybersecurity specialists.