Cybersecurity Challenges at International Airports

Abstract

Over the past few years, the operation of ground and air infrastructure at international airports has required increasingly sophisticated technologies and automated systems, which have increased the vulnerability of airports and the aviation sector to cyber criminals and terrorists. The situation has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 epidemic. The possibility of cyberattacks against airports and aircraft poses real dangers such as the obstruction of continuous and smooth operation of ground and air infrastructures, serious breaches of operational security, loss of data and its acquirement by unauthorised hands, collapse of IoT and communication systems. The aim of this review article is to provide relevant and up-to-date landscape related to the main causes, types, impacts, risks and minimisation of cyberattacks against large international airports by presenting some concrete international examples, and to make proposals to reduce exposure to cyberattacks through organisational and operational solutions such as information sharing, cyber awareness and networking.