EU Cyberagency Confirms Ransomware Disrupts Major European Airports

The European Union's cybersecurity agency, ENISA, confirmed that a ransomware cyberattack on Collins Aerospace, a major American aviation technology provider, caused significant disruptions in automatic check-in systems at several major European airports including Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin. The attack began on Friday and forced airport personnel to switch to manual check-in and baggage procedures, resulting in long queues, widespread delays, and thousands of stranded passengers. Collins Aerospace is actively working to resolve the issue and restore full system functionality, with the incident primarily affecting electronic customer check-in and baggage drop services. ENISA stated that the specific type of ransomware has been identified and that law enforcement agencies are currently investigating the attack. This cyberattack highlights vulnerabilities in third-party service providers critical to airport operations and the significant impact such disruptions can have on air travel across Europe. The agency and involved parties are coordinating efforts to mitigate the incident and prevent future occurrences.