“Smart airports and the evolving cyber threat”

As the number of air travel passengers exponentially increases every year, airports have evolved as “smart” facilities (i.e., smart airports). The digital transformation occurring at airports will continue to revolutionize their operational efficiency but is also exacerbating cybersecurity challenges. To gauge the evolving cyber threat landscape at smart airports, this article first outlines the expanding attack surface of this critical transportation infrastructure. It then provides an overview of current malicious threat-based cyber risks that have disrupted essential services in airports and their interconnected networks. The analysis then examines the leading cyber threat actors and considers their current and future intent and capabilities to target smart airports. The article recommends a defense-in-depth approach to meet this evolving challenge.