Qantas Discloses Data Breach Affecting Over Six Million Passengers

Australian airline giant Qantas revealed on Wednesday that it suffered a data breach, compromising the personal information of at least six million passengers. The incident occurred on June 30 when a cybercriminal targeted one of its call centers, accessing customer data including names, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and frequent flyer numbers.
This breach follows a series of recent attacks on airlines, many of which have been linked to Scattered Spider, a notorious hacking collective known for infiltrating large corporate networks. Earlier this month, Canadian airline WestJet and Hawaiian Airlines also reported data breaches, heightening concerns over cybersecurity in the aviation sector.
Google’s security unit, Mandiant, stated that it is “too early to tell” if the Qantas hack is connected to Scattered Spider. However, they warned airlines to remain vigilant against social engineering attacks, emphasizing the need for heightened security measures to protect customer data.
Qantas has assured affected customers that their financial information was not compromised and has offered credit monitoring services as a precautionary measure. The incident underscores the growing vulnerability of airline systems to cyber threats, prompting calls for stronger cybersecurity protocols across the industry.

Published: 7/2/2025