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Qantas Contacts Cyber Criminal After Data Breach Affecting Six Million Customers

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Australia’s Qantas has confirmed that a cyber criminal reached out to the airline one week after a major data breach exposed personal information of six million customers. The breach involved a hacker targeting a call centre and accessing a third-party customer service platform containing sensitive details including names, emails, phone numbers, birth dates, and frequent flyer numbers, a Qantas spokesperson told Reuters on Tuesday.

The airline has engaged the Australian Federal Police in the investigation and declined to provide further details on the contact due to the ongoing criminal matter. While there is currently no evidence that the stolen data has been leaked publicly, Qantas is actively monitoring the situation with cyber security experts.

This breach marks one of the most significant cyber attacks in Australia since the 2022 incidents involving telecommunications provider Optus and health insurer Medibank, which led to the introduction of mandatory cyber resilience laws.

The incident poses a challenge for Qantas as it works to restore public confidence after its reputation suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic due to operational disruptions and criticism.

India’s Max Financial Reports Cybersecurity Incident at Axis Max Life Insurance Unit

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Max Financial Services announced on Wednesday that its subsidiary, Axis Max Life Insurance, received an anonymous communication warning of unauthorized access to some customer data. The company has launched a security assessment and is analyzing data logs to investigate the breach.

Max Financial stated that a detailed investigation is underway with the help of cybersecurity experts to identify the root cause and implement necessary remedial actions.

Axis Max Life Insurance is a joint venture between Max Financial and private lender Axis Bank. The announcement comes amid a rising wave of cyberattacks in India’s financial sector, with firms like Angel One, Niva Bupa, Star Health, and HDFC Life Insurance reporting significant breaches in the past year.

These incidents have triggered regulatory mandates for comprehensive IT audits across the insurance industry. Cyber fraud cases in India surged more than fourfold in fiscal 2024, resulting in losses exceeding $20 million. Government data shows that since 2021, individuals have lost nearly $1.26 billion to cyber fraud at financial institutions.

Qantas Suffers Major Cyber Hack Affecting 6 Million Customer Accounts

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Australian airline Qantas revealed on Wednesday that a cyber hacker accessed a third-party customer service platform used by one of its call centres, compromising the personal data of approximately six million customers. The breach exposed names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and frequent flyer numbers, marking Australia’s most significant cyberattack in recent years.

Qantas has not disclosed the call centre’s location or the precise number of affected customers but confirmed the breach was discovered after detecting unusual activity. The airline is still investigating the full scope of the stolen data but expects it to be substantial. Importantly, Qantas stated that frequent flyer accounts, passwords, PINs, or login credentials were not accessed, and operations and safety were not impacted.

The incident occurs amid heightened cyber threats targeting airlines worldwide. The FBI recently reported that the hacker group Scattered Spider has targeted airlines such as Hawaiian Airlines and WestJet. While Qantas did not identify the attacker, cybersecurity experts warn that social engineering attacks on airline staff may be involved.

This breach brings unwelcome scrutiny to Qantas, which is recovering from a reputational crisis caused by controversies during the COVID-19 pandemic, including illegal staff layoffs and ticketing issues. Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson acknowledged the seriousness of the breach and assured customers of the airline’s commitment to protecting personal information. Authorities including the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and the Australian Federal Police have been notified.

Qantas shares fell 2.4% in afternoon trading, while the overall market rose.