Cyber attacks on airlines could be devastating. Image: Shutterstock
It may have only lasted for an afternoon, but a recent meeting of key figures in Australia’s cyber and aviation industries highlighted the potential cascade of events that could quickly unfold if a cyber attack on an Australian airport – or, worse still, airplane – were successful.
In a complex, finely-tuned industry where a single unchecked bag can cause massive disruptions, the prospect of a successful cybercriminal attack on an airport – in which check-in systems might be disrupted, planes delayed, air traffic control disrupted, perishable or essential supplies delayed, or even physical signalling manipulated – is keeping authorities up at night.
Just a few weeks ago, more than two dozen government, Australian Federal Police officers, airline and airport representatives gathered to talk through the likely response in a wargaming exercise – one of a series of ongoing ‘wargaming’ exercises driven by Minister for Cyber Security Clare O’Neil – that explored potential vulnerabilities in airports’ cyber defences.
Practicing a potential “nightmare scenario” is crucial to…
