AIRWAYS INDUSTRY Cyviation
THE STORY OF CYVIATION ’ S MISSION TO SECURE THE SKIES
The futuristic plot of the 1990 hit Die Hard 2 , starring Bruce Willis , revolves around terrorists taking over the air traffic control system at Washington Dulles International Airport ( IAD ) in an attempt to free a South American drug profiteer . The terrorists manipulate IAD ’ s communication and guidance system , creating chaos and endangering the planes flying above .
That 1990 story imagined someone manipulating an airport ’ s communication and guidance systems . Thirty-five years later , in our world of advanced technology and cyber-attacks , this onceoutlandish story no longer seems so far-fetched .
POTENTIAL THREATS
Aviation safety is of paramount importance for all airlines .
Planes are statistically the safest form of travel , with just 0.03 fatalities per million in 2023 , a record low-fatality risk rate according to the International Air Transport Association ( IATA ).
Each year , airlines invest millions into ensuring that their passengers and planes are safe when on the ground and in the air . Yet , they often overlook cyberattacks . Despite a surge in cybersecurity around the military and defense transportation sector , not nearly enough cybersecurity goes into commercial airlines or aircraft .
As new technology continues to emerge , so do the threats against commercial aircraft . Planes today boast sophisticated systems that improve passenger experience , streamline operations , and enhance efficiency , and these new technologies are dependent on digital systems that increase a plane ’ s vulnerability to cyberattacks . Moreover , the vast majority of airplanes now flying — commercial or private — were designed years before anyone knew anything about cybersecurity . Some of the planes flying today use technology from 2009 ’ s Windows 7 to 1993 ’ s Windows NT , making them vulnerable indeed .
Even after falling victim to numerous cyber-attacks , the air industry has had no real urgency to tighten aircraft cybersecurity .
Over the past few years , the instances of cyber-attacks that have occurred throughout the aviation industry have ranged from potential hijacking scenarios , such as the one that occurred in February 2024 , when hackers attempted to take over two El Al planes flying over Somalia , to flights disrupted by malware infections . One thing is sure : if any of these cyberattacks had been successful , the ramifications would have been catastrophic .
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