Qantas CEO Apologises for Data Breach
Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson has issued a heartfelt apology to the airline's customers after a data breach was discovered. The breach, which occurred when a cybercriminal infiltrated one of the airline's call centres and accessed customer data, has left over 6 million customers feeling vulnerable.
"What I would first like to say is acknowledge the impact to all our customers and, first and foremost, I'd like to apologise to them," Ms Hudson said in an interview with Channel Seven. "And so, right up front, I want to say we take this seriously and we are going to do everything that we can to communicate transparently."
The breach occurred when the cybercriminal accessed customer names, phone numbers, and frequent flyer numbers, which is a significant concern for Qantas. Ms Hudson emphasized that the airline is taking steps to rectify the situation and support its customers.
"That is something that we are very concerned about and we are absolutely doing everything that we can to rectify this situation," she said. "What I can also say, though, is that the threat has been contained and the systems are now secure, and our number-one focus is to support customers through this process."
Ms Hudson acknowledged that the airline had invested tens of millions of dollars in cybersecurity, but warned that cybercriminals were becoming increasingly sophisticated. "We take cybersecurity incredibly seriously, and we have got absolute focus right across our organisation, from training to system controls to system alerts in this instance," she said.
The AFP is now investigating the breach, with an AFP spokesperson stating that further information will be provided at a later time. Qantas is working closely with the federal government and cybersecurity team to hunt down the cybercriminals involved.
"We have not had passport information breached. We have not had credit card information breached and we have not had password information breached," Ms Hudson said, reassuring customers that their sensitive information was safe.
The breach has sparked concerns about Qantas' cybersecurity measures, with some questioning how such a breach could occur despite the airline's investment in security. However, Ms Hudson emphasized that the reality is that cybercriminals are constantly evolving and improving their tactics, making it essential for organizations like Qantas to stay ahead.
"They [cybercriminals] are good at what they do. They are constantly innovating in terms of what we do. And so that is why we are constantly going to be improving our systems as we go forward as well," Ms Hudson said.
The cyber breach has also raised questions about Qantas' reputation, which has been impacted by recent controversies including penalties for misleading customers and rising profits despite growing customer dissatisfaction. However, Ms Hudson believes that trust can be earned through transparency and open communication.
"In this event, we have communicated to customers as soon as we knew," she said. "Trust is something that is earned" and comes from being up-front and transparent, which is exactly what Qantas is doing in this situation.