BREAKING NEWS Qantas customer's data leaks in major cyber attack of the airline
'We understand this will be concerning for customers. We are currently contacting customers to make them aware of the incident, apologise and provide details on the support available,' the airline said.
'The incident occurred when a cyber criminal targeted a call centre and gained access to a third-party customer servicing platform. There is no impact to Qantas' operations or the safety of the airline.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Microsoft knew of SharePoint security flaw but failed to effectively patch it, timeline shows
LONDON, July 22 (Reuters) - A security patch released by Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab earlier this month failed to fully fix a critical flaw in the U.S. tech company's SharePoint server software that had been identified at a hacking competition in May, opening the door to a sweeping global cyber espionage operation, according to a timeline of events reviewed by Reuters. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that its initial solution did not work. The spokesperson added that Microsoft had released further patches that fixed the issue. It remains unclear who is behind the ongoing operation, which targeted around 100 organisations over the weekend and is expected to escalate as other hackers join the fray. Microsoft said in a blog post that two allegedly Chinese hacking groups, dubbed "Linen Typhoon" and "Violet Typhoon," were exploiting the vulnerabilities, along with another China-based hacking group. Microsoft and Alphabet's (GOOGL.O), opens new tab Google have said that China-linked hackers were likely behind the first wave of hacks. Chinese government-linked operatives are regularly implicated in cyberattacks, but Beijing routinely denies carrying out hacking operations. In an emailed statement, the Chinese embassy in Washington said China opposes all forms of cyberattacks, and "smearing others without solid evidence." The vulnerability that facilitated the attack was first identified in May at a hacking competition, opens new tab in Berlin organised by cybersecurity firm Trend Micro (4704.T), opens new tab, which offered cash bounties for the discovery of computer bugs in popular software. It offered a $100,000 prize for "zero-day" exploits - which are called that because they leverage previously undisclosed digital weaknesses that could be used against SharePoint, Microsoft's flagship document management and collaboration platform. A researcher, opens new tab working for the cybersecurity arm of Viettel, a telecommunications firm operated by Vietnam's military, identified, opens new tab a SharePoint bug at the event, dubbed it "ToolShell" and demonstrated a method of exploiting it. The researcher was awarded $100,000 for the discovery, according to a post, opens new tab on X by Trend Micro's "Zero Day Initiative." In a statement, Trend Micro said it was the responsibility of vendors participating in its competition to patch and disclose security flaws in "an effective and timely manner." "Patches will occasionally fail. This has happened with SharePoint in the past," the statement said. Microsoft said in a July 8 security update that it had identified, opens new tab the bug, listed it as a critical vulnerability, and released patches to fix it. About 10 days later, however, cybersecurity firms started to notice an influx of malicious online activity targeting the same software the bug sought to exploit: SharePoint servers. "Threat actors subsequently developed exploits that appear to bypass these patches," British cybersecurity firm Sophos said in a blog post, opens new tab on Monday. The pool of potential ToolShell targets remains vast. According to data from Shodan, a search engine that helps identify internet-linked equipment, over 8,000 servers online could theoretically have already been compromised by hackers. Those servers include major industrial firms, banks, auditors, healthcare companies, and several U.S. state-level and international government entities. The Shadowserver Foundation, which scans the internet for potential digital vulnerabilities, put the number at a little more than 9,000, while cautioning that the figure was a minimum. It said most of those affected were in the United States and Germany, and the victims included government organisations. Germany's federal office for information security, BSI, said on Tuesday it had found SharePoint servers within government networks that were vulnerable to the ToolShell attack but none had been compromised.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
NatWest making major change to bank accounts – and thousands will pay £100s more
NATWEST is shaking up its banking charges, leaving thousands of customers facing higher costs for everyday transactions. The bank is making changes to its business current accounts by increasing fees for cash payments, cheque transactions, and certain online transfers. 1 From August 30, cash payments into and out of business accounts will see their fees surge from 70p per £100 to 95p per £100. Cheque payments, whether processed by hand or via mobile, will also jump from 70p to 75p per cheque. The bank is also increasing some charges related to its BACS payment system. The BACS system is a UK payment network used by businesses to make electronic bank-to-bank transfers, such as Direct Debits and Direct Credits. The fee for processing each individual payment or instruction, will soon rise from 18p to 21p. The cost to process a file containing multiple payments or instructions will also increase slightly from £5.25 to £5.35. Business bank accounts are used by self-employed individuals, small business owners, charities, and community organisations to manage their finances. A spokesperson for NatWest said: "NatWest is changing the prices of some business banking services. "It's been seven years since day-to-day banking charges have changed for our business customers. "The cost of providing services has gone up so we've had to review our charges." Switch bank accounts for free perks NatWest said that the new charges will remain fixed until at least September 2027. However, not all customers will need to pay them, as eligibility depends on individual circumstances. Businesses and organisations with free banking are not affected by the rising charges right now. This includes new businesses with turnover under £1million, who get free banking for their first two years. Charities and community organisations with turnover under £100,000 are also included, as long as they stay eligible. Established businesses with turnover under £2million are covered too, but only for two years after switching accounts using the Current Account Switching Service. NatWest continues to offer business bank accounts without a monthly fee. Several other banks, including HSBC, Virgin Money, Monzo, and Co-operative Bank, also provide business banking with no monthly fees. However, service charges differ, and not all digital banks allow cash deposits or withdrawals. How do I switch bank accounts? SWITCHING bank accounts is a simple process and can usually be done through the Current Account Switch Service (CASS). Dozens of high street banks and building societies are signed up - there's a full list on CASS' website. Under the switching service, swapping banks should take seven working days. You don't have to remember to move direct debits across when moving, as this is done for you. All you have to do is apply for the new account you want, and the new bank will tell your existing one you're moving. There are a few things you can do before switching though, including choosing your switch date and transferring any old bank statements to your new account. You should get in touch with your existing bank for any old statements. When switching current accounts, consider what other perks might come with joining a specific bank or building society. Some banks offer 0% overdrafts up to a certain limit, and others might offer better rates on savings accounts. And some banks offer free travel or mobile phone insurance with their current accounts - but these accounts might come with a monthly fee. What other bank account changes are on the way? Santander customers have been left outraged after the bank revealed it will start charging £120 a year for an account it promised would be "free forever". Thousands of small business and self-employed account holders are facing £9.99 monthly charges from October. This comes despite written assurances that their accounts would always remain free of fees. The changes will impact three types of business accounts: 1|2|3 Business Current Accounts, Business Everyday Current Accounts, and Business Current Accounts. The "free forever" promise applied to accounts offered by Abbey and Alliance & Leicester before the 2008 merger with Santander. The bank first attempted to introduce fees for these accounts in 2012 but backed down after customers threatened legal action. However, these accounts were shifted to the Business Everyday account in 2015, which did not include the "free forever" promise. From October 1, these accounts will be closed, and customers will be automatically switched to Santander's new Business Current Account – Classic. Under the new structure, every Business Current Account – Classic will incur a £9.99 monthly fee, regardless of the type of account customers previously held. While some accounts were free, others offered additional benefits with charges as high as £40 per month. The bank is closing its 123 Lite current account, which offers up to 3% cashback on household bills for a £2 monthly fee, on August 21. Customers affected by the closure will be automatically switched to Santander's Everyday Current Account. This account has no monthly fee but does not include cashback benefits. Meanwhile, customers of Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland will soon lose the ability to deposit their cheques at any of the 11,500 Post Office branches nationwide. From December 31 this year, Lloyds Banking Group will withdraw this service for all customers. What is cashback? CASHBACK is a type of reward offered by banks, credit card providers, and retailers where customers receive a percentage of their spending back as cash. Essentially, it's a way to earn money while making purchases. For example, if your card offers 1% cashback and you spend £100, you'll earn £1 back. Cashback can be credited to your account, deducted from your balance, or saved up for future use, depending on the provider's terms. It's often offered on everyday purchases, such as groceries, fuel, or online shopping, and may be part of a promotional deal or an ongoing benefit of your account. However, remember to check the terms and conditions, as some transactions may not qualify for cashback rewards. By using cashback offers wisely, you can usually make your money go further on purchases you'd already be making.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The ridiculous reason bureaucrats banned a young Aussie mum from getting a personalised number plate
A Queensland mum has been left stunned after being told her legal first name was too inappropriate to feature on personalised number plates. Indica, who says she's always loved her unique name, was shocked when her order was abruptly cancelled by Personalised Plates Queensland (PPQ) weeks after being approved. PPQ is run by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. The 20-something said she was thrilled to finally afford custom plates after buying her first car, something she'd dreamed of since getting her licence. 'Everyone's got personalised plates,' she said. 'And because my name's so unique, I thought, perfect, I can finally have my own.' Indica ordered plates that simply spelled out her name, but soon received a refund and a notice that the plates had been rejected for being 'inappropriate'. After calling PPQ for answers, she was told her name couldn't be used because it's also the name of a cannabis strain. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, indica is indeed a subspecies of the cannabis plant, but the Queensland mum insists she had no idea. 'They told me over the phone that 'Indica' is a strand of marijuana, so that's why they banned it,' she said. 'It's my name. I didn't even know that until they told me,' she said. 'I think most Aussies wouldn't even know.' It's not the first occasion number plate bans have made headlines. Mahmoud, from Greenacre in Sydney's southwest, was recently told by Transport for NSW he would have to surrender his 'FU2IDF' plates or risk deregistration. He said he registered the controversial message in 2024 as a 'silent protest' against the Gaza War between Hamas and Israel, the deadliest conflict in decades for Palestinians. 'My wife is Palestinian. Her family has had people killed since the start of the occupation in 1948. They've been displaced, they can't go home. So this is raw for us,' he said. On June 30, he received a letter warning that if he didn't return the plates within 18 days, his car would be deregistered. 'Transport for NSW has policies that prevent particular number plate content being displayed,' the letter read. 'This is related, but not limited to, content that has a religious theme, is discriminatory, is political, promotes violence, has a sexual reference, promotes drug taking/drinking or may be deemed to give rise to controversy or public disagreement.' In 2020, South Australia's transport department revealed more than 355 number plate applications had failed a 'decency test' since 2018.
