Israeli aircraft defy cyber-hijacking attempts with success

TLDR:

Two Israeli aircraft survived attempts of cyber-hijacking while flying over the Middle East. Hackers tried to divert the planes’ communication networks, but pilots became suspicious and ignored the instructions. The EU’s aviation safety agency has recently revamped cybersecurity regulations for the industry.

Article Summary:

Two El Al flights from Thailand to Israel experienced attempts of cyber-hijacking while flying over the Middle East. Hackers tried to divert the planes by hijacking their communications networks, but the pilots became suspicious of the sudden change in instructions and ignored them, using alternative means of communication to confirm their route with air traffic controllers.

The EU’s aviation safety agency EASA recently released new cybersecurity regulations for the industry to enforce best practice security standards among suppliers, airlines, airports, communication infrastructure providers, and air towers. These regulations aim to enhance cybersecurity measures across the aviation sector.

The incident highlighted the importance of pilot training and vigilance in detecting and mitigating cyber threats while in the air. Despite the attempted cyber-hijacking, the flights were able to continue on their planned routes thanks to the professionalism of the pilots and their quick response to the suspicious instructions.