North American airlines focusing investments on cyber and artificial intelligence technologies.
The aviation sector, particularly in North America, is focusing on upgrading its aging IT infrastructure, with cybersecurity taking center stage as a top priority. According to a report by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in April, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was urged to conduct a comprehensive modernization program and comprehensive vulnerability and risk assessments in light of growing concerns about cyber risks and aging technology in the aviation industry.
Recent cyberattacks, such as those by the group Scattered Spider, have targeted multiple airlines in the U.S. and Canada, prompting airlines to reinforce their defenses, especially in high-risk areas like call centers. Cybersecurity firms like Mandiant are supporting the response by advising firms to strengthen vulnerable entry points.
Seventy-seven percent of North American airlines have identified cybersecurity as one of their top three IT priorities for investment in 2025. The threat of operational disruption, as seen in the American Airlines system outage, underscores the need for robust cybersecurity and IT resilience to prevent flight disruptions and maintain passenger safety. The risk of data theft and extortion by hackers, who often deploy ransomware once inside a network, is another significant concern.
In addition to cybersecurity, airlines are increasingly investing in AI to enhance operational efficiency and improve customer experience. AI investments in the aviation industry are targeted at addressing cybersecurity concerns, operational scaling, and predictive disruption management. The industry is already heavily investing in privileged account management, single sign-on authentication, and DDoS protection in cybersecurity spending.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held a hearing on cyber risks facing the aviation industry in September 2024, focusing on the need for a comprehensive approach to address these risks. Airline industry officials consider third-party risk as their leading cybersecurity concern.
Notable incidents include the Port of Seattle being hit by a ransomware attack in September and Delta Air Lines canceling thousands of flights in July 2024 due to a global IT outage caused by a faulty software upgrade. Almost half of these same carriers place AI investment as their top priority.
The focus on cybersecurity and AI investment comes as the aviation sector grapples with a series of major disruptions linked to aging technology or software security issues. The report by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in April emphasized the need for a comprehensive modernization program and vulnerability and risk assessments to ensure the industry's resilience against cyber threats.
- Cybersecurity firms, such as Mandiant, are providing advice to airlines to strengthen vulnerable entry points, noting the increased risk of ransomware attacks, a concern highlighted by instances like the one where the group Scattered Spider targeted multiple airlines in North America.
- Acknowledging the growing concerns about cyber risks and aging technology, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was urged to conduct comprehensive modernization, vulnerability, and risk assessments, as suggested in a report by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in April.
- As the aviation sector intensifies its focus on upgrading its aging IT infrastructure, with cybersecurity as a top priority, the industry is also investing in AI to enhance operational efficiency and improve customer experience. Notably, airlines are targeting AI investments to address cybersecurity concerns, operational scaling, and predictive disruption management.
