Europe Airports Hit by Ransomware Attack, Causing Widespread Disruption
▼ Summary
– A ransomware attack on Collins Aerospace’s check-in and boarding systems caused major disruptions at several European airports over the weekend.
– The affected airports included major hubs like Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin, with over 100 flights delayed or cancelled.
– The hackers specifically targeted the MUSE system, a shared infrastructure used by multiple airlines for check-in and boarding operations.
– Disruptions continued into Monday, forcing airports to process thousands of passengers manually while Collins Aerospace worked to restore the system.
– Law enforcement and national cyber security agencies are investigating the incident and urging organizations to improve their security measures.
A significant ransomware attack targeting critical airport infrastructure caused widespread disruption across Europe over the weekend. The incident, which began on Friday night, primarily affected the MUSE (Multi-User System Environment) platform, a shared check-in and boarding system provided by the American firm Collins Aerospace. Major hubs including London’s Heathrow, Brussels Airport, and Berlin’s Brandenburg experienced substantial technical difficulties, leading to flight delays and cancellations.
The attack’s impact was particularly severe because the compromised MUSE system is used by numerous airlines to share check-in desks and boarding gate infrastructure. This centralized approach, designed to be an efficient alternative to each airline maintaining its own dedicated systems, created a single point of failure. As a result, when the system was taken offline, the manual processing of passengers became necessary, causing significant bottlenecks.
The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) officially confirmed on Monday that a ransomware attack was the root cause of the operational chaos. The incident had a tangible effect on air travel, with reports indicating that more than 100 flights were either delayed or cancelled. Thousands of passengers faced inconvenience as airport staff worked to manage check-in and boarding procedures without the automated systems.
Brussels Airport reported that disruptions persisted into the start of the new week, advising travelers to verify their flight status before heading to the terminal. Collins Aerospace has been actively working to restore the compromised systems at all impacted locations. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies have been notified and are involved in the investigation. A spokesperson for the U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) stated that they are collaborating with Collins Aerospace, affected U.K. airports, and government transport departments to fully assess the incident’s impact.
In light of this event, the NCSC is reiterating its call for all organizations to proactively strengthen their cyber defenses. The agency encourages businesses to utilize its freely available guidance, services, and tools to bolster their security posture and mitigate the risk of falling victim to similar cyberattacks.
(Source: Bleeping Computer)
