An Australian airline reported that cybercriminals breached a database holding confidential information belonging to six million passengers.
Australian airline Qantas announced on Wednesday that hackers had attacked one of its client service facilities, compromising a computer network operated by an external provider.
The airline stated that the system held confidential information belonging to 6 million Qantas customers, including their full names, email addresses, contact numbers, and dates of birth.
However, it emphasized that credit card information and passport numbers were not kept within the system.
The event took place when a hacker attacked a contact centre and obtained entry to an external client service system, according to Qantas' official announcement.
Qantas' operations and the airline's safety remain unaffected.
Qantas' chief executive stated,...
The firm announced that it had initiated an investigation into the cybersecurity breach.
We’re still looking into what percentage of the data was taken, but we anticipate it could be substantial.
The company stated that it was reaching out to affected customers to inform them of the situation and offer information regarding the assistance options available.
Vanessa Hudson, Chief Executive Officer of Qantas, expressed her apologies regarding the event.
“We deeply regret any inconvenience caused to our customers, and we understand the concerns this situation may create,” she stated. “Customers place their trust in us when sharing sensitive details, and we are fully committed to upholding that duty.”
Hudson stated that Qantas had informed Australia’s National Cyber Security Coordinator about the event.
Qantas has encountered data security challenges before in recent years.
In 2024, the airline issued an apology following a technical issue with its mobile application that revealed certain passengers’ personal information and itinerary specifics.
Edited by: Sean Sinico
Writer: Srinivas Mazumdaru (along with AFP, dpa)