Cyberattacks Target North American Airlines, Raising Security Concerns in the Aviation Industry

At least two North American airlines have recently faced cyberattacks, with the FBI and cybersecurity experts alerting the aviation industry about a notorious group of hackers. WestJet and Hawaiian Airlines both confirmed in June that they were responding to cyber intrusions. Additionally, American Airlines encountered a technical issue on a recent Friday, although it remains uncertain whether this problem was linked to the hacking attempts. An official spokesperson for American Airlines noted, “A technology issue is affecting connectivity for some of our systems, and we are working with our partners to resolve it fully.”

They further assured that, despite experiencing delays, no flights had been canceled. Cybersecurity firms typically avoid revealing specifics about the companies they assist, bound by nondisclosure agreements. However, both Google and Palo Alto Networks have identified a particularly adept cybercriminal group, referred to as Scattered Spider, which has been aggressively targeting the aviation sector. The FBI also issued a warning, stating that it was collaborating with aviation partners to address and mitigate these threats.

Scattered Spider consists of young men, primarily English-speaking, who excel at deceiving employees to gain access to sensitive systems. Once infiltrated, they often facilitate the installation of ransomware by other malicious actors, rendering systems inoperable and demanding ransoms. This group has been implicated in attacks on various entities, including Las Vegas casinos and British retail stores. Details regarding the impact of these attacks on the airlines remain limited.

A WestJet representative indicated that they first recognized the breach on June 13 and have made significant progress in addressing it. Meanwhile, Hawaiian Airlines confirmed on the following Monday that they were also hacked but maintained that their flights were operating safely and as scheduled.