Cyberattack suspect arrested after major disruption at European airports
British authorities have arrested a man in his 40s in connection with a cyberattack that disrupted operations at several of Europe’s busiest airports, CNN reported on Sept. 24, citing the U.K.’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
The cyberattack disrupted automated check-in systems last week, causing flight cancellations and delays at several major European airports, including Brussels, Berlin, and London’s Heathrow.
The man was arrested on Sept. 23 in West Sussex, England, on suspicion of offenses under the Computer Misuse Act, according to the NCA.
The investigation is at an early stage and remains ongoing, said Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, in a statement.
Across Europe, Russian hybrid attacks, including cyberattacks, have become more frequent and more aggressive since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Authorities have not determined whether Russia played any role in the incident.
The cyberattack on Sept. 19 targeted Collins Aerospace, which was scheduled to operate flights from London, Berlin, Dublin, and Brussels, causing widespread disruption.
At Brussels Airport, staff resorted to using iPads and laptops to check in passengers. Meanwhile, at Berlin Airport, handwritten boarding passes were issued due to a failure of the online check-in system, Reuters reported.
As of the morning of Sept. 24, Berlin Airport was still grappling with technical issues, with most processes being handled manually and data processing significantly delayed. Officials there have not ruled out further delays or cancellations as efforts continue to "minimize the impact" of the cyberattack.
London’s Heathrow reported that most flights were operating normally as of Sept. 24, while Brussels Airport noted only minor disruptions on Sept. 23, according to CNN.
