Airlines urged to move quickly as cyber attacks grow in number and sophistication

The aviation industry is struggling with implementing cyber prevention initiatives, according to research from SITA.

The technology company finds that 89% of airline chief information officers are planning a major program around cybersecurity in the next three years, up from 71% in 2017.

For airports, the figure is higher, with 95% planning initiatives between now and 2021.

Both groups cite business continuity as the main priority.

Investment in cybersecurity is also increasing and totaled $3.9 billion in 2018. The research reveals that airlines will spend an average of 9% of overall IT budget on cybersecurity in 2018, up from 7% last year.

Airports have invested about 12% of budget in cybersecurity, up from 10% in 2017.

The 2018 Air Transport Cybersecurity Insights study also looks at spending priorities, with employee awareness and training coming top at 76%, followed by regulatory compliance at 73% and identity and access management at 63%.

SITA chief executive officer Barbara Dalibard points to the increasing number of cyberthreats as well as their sophistication and says the industry needs to move more quickly.

The research also shows that more than 50% of the industry does not capture cybersecurity as part of its global risk register, although many plan to include it by 2021. 

In addition, less than a third have a chief information security officer.

However, recent cyber attacks on British Airways and Cathay Pacific are likely to heighten focus on the issue.

SITA joined forces with Airbus in April 2017 to provide the industry with incident detection services around unusual cyber activity.

Michael Schellenberg, head of cybersecurity solutions for SITA, says: 

“The service is currently being successfully used by a major European airport group and in 2019 we see an increasing demand for this service.

“We are also providing cybersecurity consulting services and defense managed services to airports and airlines across Europe, North and South America and the Middle East. Our in-depth knowledge of airline and airport processes means we provide expertise on how to best build defenses in the air transport industry.”