Qantas, Australia’s biggest airline, has confirmed a serious cyberattack that exposed personal details of nearly six million of its customers. The attack was discovered shortly after a warning from the FBI about a dangerous hacker group called “Scattered Spiders.” This group has a history of targeting large companies, including those in the airline and retail industries.
The hackers broke into a third-party customer service platform used by one of Qantas’ call centers. While the airline itself wasn’t directly hacked, the attackers still managed to access a massive database. This database included personal information such as customer names, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and frequent flyer membership details.
Importantly, Qantas said that no credit card or financial information was taken. That data is kept on different servers with higher protection. Still, having access to so much personal information is a major concern for both the airline and its customers.
Scattered Spiders: A Growing Threat
The attack came just days after the FBI issued a warning about the Scattered Spiders group. According to the FBI, this group of hackers is becoming more aggressive and has started targeting global airline companies. Their trick is to go after not just the main company, but also its partners, contractors, and third-party service providers—making it harder to stop them.
Scattered Spiders are known for using a clever method called “social engineering.” This means they pretend to be real employees of a company to fool IT departments into giving them access. Once inside the system, they can steal sensitive information without being noticed right away.
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The same group has been blamed for major cyberattacks on well-known companies such as Marks & Spencer and MGM casinos. They’ve also targeted other airlines like Hawaiian Airlines and Canada’s WestJet. In many cases, after stealing information, they try to pressure companies by threatening to release the data unless a ransom is paid.
The FBI’s warning stated that anyone connected to an airline, including trusted vendors and IT support partners, can be a target. This adds to the challenge of keeping data safe across a wide network of providers.
Qantas Responds Swiftly and Shares Drop
After discovering the breach, Qantas quickly moved to secure its systems. The airline informed the Australian Federal Police and other government cybersecurity agencies. They also began reaching out to customers whose data may have been accessed. A spokesperson from the airline confirmed that steps are being taken to understand the full impact of the breach and to support affected individuals.
Qantas emphasized that they take their responsibility seriously when it comes to handling customer information. The company acknowledged that this kind of incident can create fear and uncertainty among its users.
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However, the news of the cyberattack had a financial impact. After the announcement, Qantas’ share price dropped by 3.6% on the stock market. This shows how cyberattacks can affect not just customer trust but also a company’s financial health.
This is not the first time a major Australian company has suffered from a cyberattack. In recent years, other large organizations including telecom provider Optus, healthcare provider Medibank Private, and port operator DP World have also been hit by similar data breaches. These repeated incidents show that cybercrime is becoming a growing problem for Australia’s biggest companies.
Qantas continues to investigate how the attackers got in and what data was taken. The full extent of the damage may take time to uncover, but the airline has promised to stay transparent as the investigation continues.
