Darkreading reported that a recent cyber safety report to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was based on a PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ survey of “85 percent of airline CEOs in the PwC survey cited cybersecurity as a major risk likely because of the very sensitive nature of passenger data and flight systems.” The September 23, 2016 report in Darkreading was entitled “Advisory Body Calls For Stronger Cybersecurity Measures Across Airline Industry” and cited the RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics founded in 1935) which included:
…recommendations is on ensuring that manufacturers, carriers, maintenance facilities and airports maintain an adequate level of cyber preparedness on a routine, day-to-day basis.
The long-term goal is on ensuring not only that systems are properly secured up front when in development but also on making sure the systems are maintained that way during operations.
The Wall Street Journal report entitled “FAA Advisory Body Recommends Cybersecurity Measures” described the RTCA as:
The Federal Aviation Administration’s top technical advisory group adopted language seeking to ensure that cybersecurity protections will be incorporated into all future industrywide standards—affecting everything from aircraft design to flight operations to maintenance practices.
Stay tuned for more airline cyber disasters until these guidelines are in force!