Tech attorney explains why there are growing fears over cyber security and air travel
Summer vacation is on the horizon, and travelers generally budget extra time for airport security as they know that going through tight security procedures is meant to help keep air travel safe. But a new study suggests that the biggest threat to air safety is one that is being monitored less than our shoes.
Marcus Harris, technology attorney, says “A new study from PA Consulting has found that airlines are at an increased risk of cyber attacks due to the fact that we are more hyper-connected than ever before. People want to be able to use wi-fi throughout the airport and while in the sky, whether they are working or keeping their kids entertained, but as this report reveals, the more connected our airports become, the greater risk we are of cyber terrorism.”
Harris continues, “Just last month, Delta had to inform thousands of travelers that their credit card information might have been stolen by hackers, but financial crimes like this are really just the tip of the iceberg.
We know that it is possible for airplanes to be hacked by remotely, and as this recent study illustrates, the more connected we become while in the air, the greater risk these threats pose.”
However, Harris says that the study should not discourage technological advancement, but rather spur airlines on to take cyber security more seriously. “It is time we take digital threats as seriously as we do physical threats,” says Harris, who is a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. “Cyber terrorism is alive, well and growing by the day, so our defenses against these terrorists need to grow as well.”
For more on this topic or to speak to Marcus Harris, please contact me.
