Cybersecurity analysts told media that, as of last Thursday’s afternoon, the compromised data had not surfaced on dark web forums commonly used by attackers
Qantas has announced it will bolster its security protocols and threat detection systems following a cyber-attack that potentially compromised the personal data of up to six million customers. The breach originated from a third-party system used by a Qantas airline contact centre, which cybercriminals exploited to access sensitive customer information.
In a statement to customers on Thursday, the airline said it is taking steps to further restrict access and strengthen monitoring and detection capabilities. “We’re putting additional security measures in place to further restrict access and strengthen system monitoring and detection,” the company said. Qantas began contacting affected customers on Wednesday evening but had not provided any details by Thursday afternoon on whether compensation would be offered.
Cybersecurity analysts told media that, as of Thursday afternoon, the compromised data had not surfaced on dark web forums commonly used by attackers. While the identity of the attacker remains unknown, experts believe the incident bears similarities to the tactics of Scattered Spider, a ransomware group that has recently targeted airlines in the United States. The group is known for using social engineering techniques, particularly “vishing”—a method that involves calling IT support while impersonating employees or contractors to bypass security measures, including multi-factor authentication.
The breach has drawn renewed attention to the rising threat of social engineering attacks in Australia. A report published in May by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) noted that such tactics were responsible for 28 per cent of all reported malicious or criminal data breaches in the second half of last year. The report also highlighted a sharp increase in these types of incidents affecting government agencies, which accounted for 60 of the 115 breaches linked to social engineering—marking a 46 per cent rise from the previous six months.
Google’s threat intelligence reports have also issued recent warnings about the increasing use of social engineering by a range of cybercriminal groups to infiltrate corporate systems. The Qantas breach adds to growing concerns about the vulnerability of critical sectors to sophisticated, human-centric attack methods.
