The Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ recently released Turbulence Ahead: Navigating the Challenges of Aviation Cybersecurity, shows just how the aviation industry relies on a host of computer systems to support operations.
Together these systems form a complex ecosystem where a cyber incident in one area could disrupt operations in others.
“Unfortunately many of these systems are outdated and lack the flexibility to adapt to emerging threats,” says author Jiwon Ma, a senior policy analyst at FDD’s Centre on Cyber and Technology Innovation.
“While airline-specific failures often stem from poor investment decisions such as neglecting to replace outdated inventory or scheduling systems, the broader concern lies in the systemic risks posed by aging foundational infrastructure such as Air Traffic Control systems.”
Even the most advanced aviation operations can be brought to a standstill by a single point of failure. The report cites Southwest Airlines’ major operational breakdown in Dec 2022 due to the failure of the carrier’s inventory tracking system which relied on software more than three decades old, as well as a faulty update issued by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last year that crashed millions of Windows devices including those used by airports around the world.
Ma says addressing these cybersecurity challenges requires a concerted effort by federal agencies, Congress and industry stakeholders.
“ This collaborative approach should involve investment in capabilities to detect, prevent and respond to evolving cyber threats and the development of a skilled workforce through tailored training programs.” For the full report see HERE.
