A hacking attack that hit major airports across Europe, followed by drone incursions in Copenhagen and Oslo, is testing the vulnerabilities of aviation infrastructure in the region and raising fears of coordinated attacks that could lead to greater disruption, BTA writes, citing "Reuters".
In Denmark, drones grounded flights at Copenhagen's main airport for several hours on Monday, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen linked the incident to a series of alleged Russian drone incursions and other problems across Europe.
It came at the same time as a separate drone incident in the Norwegian capital Oslo, just days after hackers targeted check-in systems at airports such as London's "Heathrow" - the busiest in Europe, as well as those in Berlin and Brussels.
Investigators have not yet identified who was behind the disruptions, but experts see them as part of a series of "hybrid threat" incidents in the region recently that are designed to test how countries manage their critical infrastructure.
"First, it tests how the method works. In this case, it leads to the closure of airports," said Jukka Savolainen, network director at the European Center for Countering Hybrid Threats. "The second test is our response."
A statement from the Russian ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, sent to Reuters, said that the allegations of Russian involvement were unfounded. Reuters could not independently confirm who was behind the drone disruptions or the weekend hack.
Attacks highlight vulnerability of sectors like aviation
But the disruptions reveal how vulnerable civil aviation operations can be, as supply chain disruptions impact airports and airline operations, leading to hundreds of delayed and cancelled flights.
With the rise of so-called "hybrid warfare" threats, including drones, GPS jamming and hacking, experts say aviation regulators need to take more proactive measures to mitigate risks to cybersecurity, navigation systems and overall safety.
"This attack highlights how vulnerable highly interconnected industries like aviation can be," said Bart Salaets by US cybersecurity firm F5, referring to the weekend hack of Collins Aerospace's check-in software.
Analysts and experts Reuters spoke to pointed to an increase in activity by possible Russian actors across Europe in recent weeks as an incentive for regulators to offer clearer guidance and encourage more action to protect critical infrastructure.
"(Drone activity) is increasing and I don't think it's going to stop," said Eric Schutten, chief security officer at aviation consultancy Dyami security intelligence. "Airlines rely on governments and authorities for this, and airports do too," he added.
Moscow has consistently denied responsibility for any hybrid attacks in Europe.
The European air traffic control organization Eurocontrol said it was supporting local air traffic control and national authorities in managing the impact of such incidents.
"Operators need to be able to dynamically assess the risk of their operations, have diversion plans and risk mitigation measures in place," Matthew Bory, an intelligence officer at aviation security consultancy Osprey, told Reuters. (Osprey).
Regulators need to tighten standards
The cost and burden of upgrading infrastructure could prevent airports from responding quickly, even as concerns about civil airspace security are growing amid the war in eastern Europe following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Upgrading airport technology, such as jammers, lasers and tracking devices, to reduce the risks of hacking and drone attacks can cost millions of dollars and be a cumbersome process that not all infrastructure operators are ready to undertake immediately.
Airline trade body the International Air Transport Association (IATA) also said that anti-drone technology is still in development and often exceeds the budget of airports.
In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports receiving more than 100 reports of drones near airports each month.
Jake Moore, a consultant at Slovakian cybersecurity firm ESET, said that when aviation supply chains are attacked, it leads to global disruption.
"Regulators need to further tighten standards for critical aviation IT service providers," he said, adding: "Whether it's a deliberate denial-of-service attack, a financially motivated ransom, or a major technical failure, the consequences show how vulnerable such systems can be in a world focused on digital technology."