A growing reliance on interconnected digital systems has increasingly made the aviation industry more vulnerable to costly cybersecurity threats.
According to a survey released by cybersecurity consultancy Bridewell of 250 aviation industry professionals, 100% of respondents reported financial losses stemming from a breach in the last 12 months. The average loss from a cyberattack or breach totaled more than $1.4 million, while nearly half also reported an increase in the volume of attacks against their businesses over the last year.
Over the years, airlines and airports have incorporated connected digital systems into their infrastructure to help manage growing demand, operate more efficiently, and better share data in real time. The double-edged sword is that this has created more inroads for cyberattacks, making the aviation sector a uniquely attractive target for hackers. At the same time, a single compromised system can lead to significant public safety threats, ground entire commercial and passenger fleets, and spread through a vast network of airports, airlines and handlers.
Aviation businesses also have a broad range of vital systems to defend, spanning corporate IT, operational technology, avionics in planes, passenger processing systems, and suppliers. Airport infrastructure and supplier platforms can serve multiple airlines as well, meaning that a single breach can disrupt flights across several carriers.
"This potential for damage and disruption attracts a virtually unparalleled range of malicious actors," Bridewell says.
The rise of artificial intelligence has compounded those risks, with 63% of respondents saying that they're either very or extremely concerned about the cybersecurity threat the technology poses. However, many businesses have also turned to AI to protect their systems, with nearly 71% reporting that they have adopted AI or machine learning for cyber defense in some capacity.
