New guide helps smart airports prevent cyber-attacks

The European Union’s cyber security agency, ENISA, has published a guide for smart airports on preventing cyber-attacks and disruptions.

Securing Smart Airports makes eight recommendations for enhancing the security and resilience of smart airports in Europe, tailored towards decision makers, information security professionals, policy makers and industry representatives.

The recommendations include:

* Establish a clear airport cyber security posture and allocate experts and resources

* Revise cyber security policies and practices based on good practices monitoring

* Promote and facilitate the development of common guidelines, standards, metrics, awareness and knowledge exchange on cyber security for smart airports

* Facilitate the development of accreditation and third party auditing for cyber security in smart airports

Smart airports make use of integrated Internet of Things (IoT) components to provide travellers with a better and seamless travel experience through services such as self or automatic check-in, baggage and document check, flight booking management and way finding services to automated border control and security checks.

However, while smart components can enhance the user experience, they also bring new security challenges by exposing airport assets to a larger attack surface. As such, airport decision makers need to acknowledge the threats emerging from smart components, increase their awareness of security implications and improve the security of their infrastructure, the report says.

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