The Querétaro Intercontinental Airport in Mexico, one of the busiest in the country, is responding to a cyberattack. The attack was attributed to an employee downloading a malware-containing file.
While the airport’s operational security remained intact, the response team has isolated and contained the attack, and the stolen information was reportedly already in the public domain. The LockBit ransomware gang claimed responsibility for the attack and threatened to release data on November 27, which comes in the wake of their reported theft of data from Boeing, a major airplane manufacturer.
The aviation industry, both globally and regionally, continues to be a prime target for cyberattacks. Several airlines, including Air Canada and Air Europa, have recently faced cyber incidents.
Russia-based hackers have previously targeted U.S. airport websites with distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Additionally, major aerospace companies like Airbus have dealt with cybersecurity incidents, which underscores the vulnerabilities in the aviation sector. While the Querétaro Intercontinental Airport’s operational continuity remained, these incidents raise concerns regarding the security and resilience of aviation systems.
In response to the cyberattack, Querétaro Intercontinental Airport has called in cybersecurity experts to address the situation and safeguard passenger safety and operations. The investigation into the attack and the extent of the data breach are ongoing, with threats from the LockBit gang adding further complexity to the situation. The aviation industry must continue to bolster its cybersecurity measures to defend against increasingly sophisticated threats that can have far-reaching consequences for passengers and companies involved.
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