Qantas is contacting customers after a cyber attack targeted their third-party customer service platform. On 30 June, the Australian airline detected "unusual activity" on a platform used by its contact centre to store the data of six million people, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and frequent flyer numbers. Upon detection of the breach, Qantas took "immediate steps and contained the system", according to a statement. The company is still investigating the full extent of the breach, but says it is expecting the proportion of data stolen to be "significant". It has assured the public that passport details, credit card details and personal financial information were not held in 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, as well as the Australian Cyber Security Centre and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. "We sincerely apologise to our customers and we recognise the uncertainty this will cause," said Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson. She asked customers to call the dedicated support line if they had concerns, and confirmed that there would be no impact to Qantas' operations or the safety of the airline. The cyber attack is the latest in a string of Australian data breaches this year, with AustralianSuper and Nine Media suffering significant leaks in the past few months. In March 2025, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) released statistics revealing that 2024 was the worst year for data breaches in Australia since records began in 2018. "The trends we are observing suggest the threat of data breaches, especially through the efforts of malicious actors, is unlikely to diminish," said Australian Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind in a statement from the OAIC. Ms Kind urged businesses and government agencies to step up security measures and data protection, and highlighted that both the private and public sectors are vulnerable to cyber attacks.
Qantas data breach exposes up to six million customer profiles
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"Qantas Reports Cyber Attack Compromising Data of Six Million Customers"
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TruthLens AI Summary
Qantas has begun reaching out to customers following a significant cyber attack that targeted its third-party customer service platform. On June 30, the Australian airline detected unusual activity on a system that stores the personal data of approximately six million individuals. This data includes names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and frequent flyer numbers. In response to the breach, Qantas took immediate actions to contain the system and is currently investigating the full extent of the incident. Although the company anticipates that a substantial amount of data may have been stolen, it has reassured customers that sensitive information such as passport details, credit card information, and personal financial data were not stored in the affected system. Furthermore, there have been no compromises to frequent flyer accounts, passwords, or PIN numbers. The airline has reported the breach to the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Cyber Security Centre, and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, emphasizing its commitment to transparency and customer support during this troubling time.
This incident is part of a broader trend of increasing data breaches in Australia, with notable cases involving AustralianSuper and Nine Media reported earlier this year. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) highlighted that 2024 was marked as the worst year for data breaches in Australia since the record-keeping began in 2018. Australian Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind noted that the ongoing trends indicate a persistent threat from malicious actors, urging both businesses and government entities to enhance their security measures and data protection strategies. Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson expressed her sincere apologies to affected customers, acknowledging the uncertainty caused by the breach and encouraging those with concerns to contact a dedicated support line. She also assured the public that the airline's operations and safety remain unaffected by this cyber incident, emphasizing Qantas's commitment to maintaining customer trust and safety amidst growing cybersecurity challenges.
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