A recent report released by PA Consulting Group has claimed that almost all Airports operating in the United Kingdom are vulnerable to Cyber Attacks. The report named “Overcome the Silent Threat” was compiled based on in-depth analysis and interviews with some of the top staff of 4 major international airports.
The study claims that as passengers are showing a lot of interest in stay connected online during their airport visits, it is also exposing them to cyber risks as it creates a vast number of opportunity for cyber crooks to exploit.
“Over the recent years, the number of airport-related cyber threats have grown significantly. And the damage caused by the successful cyber threats has confirmed the need to address cybersecurity”, said David Oliver, Global Transport Security Lead at PA Consulting Group.
Oliver added that if the industry fails to act now, then it will find itself exposed to more vulnerability in near future as new technologies become part of the day to day operations.
The PA Consulting Group’s report outlines the following elements to ensure airport cyber resilience-
Ensuring that the airport design is secure enough
• Evaluating and implementing strong cybersecurity leadership and effective governance
• Ensuring that proactive security measures are in place
• Aligning cyber, physical and personnel security and ensuring that the coordination between them is effective
• Adopting security monitoring and incident response strategies
As the EU Network and Information Systems Directive have come into force, it aims to improve the cyber resilience of essential services used by UK populace. And if UK airports still continue to ignore risks associated with cybersecurity, then they could face a penalty of up to £17 million for failing to put in place appropriate cybersecurity measures.
