The cyberattack that in recent hours has hit Qantas (see AVIONEWS), compromising the data of millions of passengers although not affecting flight operations, is part of a broader landscape of vulnerabilities impacting global aviation. The FBI has recently issued a warning regarding a group of cybercriminals operating under the name Scattered Spider, accused of targeting multiple airlines, especially in North America.

Already at the end of June, and therefore before the Qantas incident, the websites of Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines had been compromised, with unexpected messages appearing during flight searches. The Canadian carrier WestJet is also reported to have been targeted by Scattered Spider, prompting it to raise alert levels to protect passengers’ personal information. Fortunately, in these cases, flight operations were not interrupted, a fact that according to expert analysts suggests that the airlines involved had strong security barriers separating different parts of their networks, or had effective contingency strategies to avoid operational disruptions in emergencies. 

Scattered Spider, composed of young hackers, is known for its ability to penetrate corporate IT systems and demand ransoms for stolen sensitive information. The group has a history of extortion, including high-profile attacks against entertainment and hospitality giants such as MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment in September 2023, involving millions of dollars in ransom payments. Previously, they were suspected of targeting insurer Aflac, potentially stealing sensitive data such as social security numbers and health information.

Concerns over cyberattacks in the aviation sector are not limited to the airlines alone but extend to their IT suppliers and subcontractors, expanding the potential attack surface. Authorities, including the Australian Cyber Security Centre and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, are working closely with Qantas in the investigations, while international monitoring of groups like Scattered Spider is intensifying to safeguard an industry as critical as air transportation.

But we ask ourselves: what would happen if the global air traffic nerve centers were targeted?

1- To be continued