Originally published on Aerospace Tech Review
A recent article by Reuters has drawn attention to a surge in digital attacks known as GPS spoofing. These attacks have the potential to “send commercial airliners off course,” but typically can be resolved with the assistance of air traffic control (ATC). The article cited findings from OPSGROUP, showing a 400 per cent surge in these attacks in recent months with an estimated 900 flights a day encountering them on average. Naturally, the increase in these incidents raises the associated risk levels.
However, these are not the only digital attacks the industry is currently facing. According to Bridewell’s latest research, 55 per cent of civil aviation cyber decision makers in the United States (US) have reported experiencing a ransomware attack in the past 12 months.
With the industry becoming increasingly reliant on digital technology and automated systems, the rise in digital attacks presents a significant challenge. Recognising this, 72 per cent of respondents in Bridewell’s survey plan to increase their IT security spend from last year, and 98 per cent are using at least one AI-drive tool to enhance their cybersecurity efforts.
The investment in cybersecurity measures must work in tandem with the industry’s digitalisation efforts to ensure safety and security across stakeholders. At the World Aviation Festival’s cybersecurity summit, industry experts from Ryanair, easyJet, Rwandair, EUROCAE, SkyTeam, EUROCONTROL, and more are coming together to discuss the major cybersecurity challenges the industry is facing, and share innovative approaches to tackling them.
Book your ticket to get involved in the conversation!
For more like this see:
- Four reasons the aviation industry must take cybersecurity seriously
- Investments, expectations, & challenges: Notable airline findings from SITA’s 2023 Passenger IT Insights
- Worldwide IT outage impacts airlines and airports
