Qantas has confirmed a major data breach which may have affected the personal data of six million customers.
In a statement on its website, the airline said it detected unusual activity on a third-party customer service platform used by a Qantas call centre on Monday.
A cyber criminal is understood to have targeted the centre and then gained access to the platform. The company said it has now been contained.
‘There are six million customers that have service records in this platform,’ the statement said on Tuesday.
‘We are continuing to investigate the proportion of the data that has been stolen, though we expect it will be significant.
‘An initial review has confirmed the data includes some customers’ names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and frequent flyer numbers.
‘We understand this will be concerning for customers.’
The airline said credit card details, personal financial information and passport details were not held in the affected system.
The personal data of six million Qantas customers could be threatened after a cyber breach
No frequent flyer accounts have been compromised nor have passwords, PIN numbers or login details been accessed, Qantas said.
Operations or the safety of the airline have also not been impacted by the alleged breach.
Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Hudson has apologised to customers.
‘Our customers trust us with their personal information and we take that responsibility seriously,’ she said.
‘We sincerely apologise to our customers and we recognise the uncertainty this will cause.
‘We are contacting our customers today and our focus is on providing them with the necessary support.’
Qantas has notified the Australian Cyber Security Centre and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
The Australian Federal Police have also been informed and the airline said it is supporting all agencies as they investigate.
Customers have been advised they can contact a dedicated support line on 1800 971 541 or +61 2 8028 0534.
They will have access to specialist identity protection advice and resources through this team.
If customers have upcoming travel there is nothing they need to do.
