Even before the cyber attack that brought chaos to airports, the targeted company signed with NATO a contract for a strategic military software
Collins Aerospace. Photo source: RTX
Hundreds of flights delayed or canceled on the most busy European airports and tens of thousands of passengers affected is the balance after a cyber attack targeted a computer program made by an American company for airlines.
This interruption is the most recent in a series of cyber attacks that have targeted governments and companies around the world, affecting sectors such as health, defense, retail and auto industry, writes Reuters. A recent security breach at the luxury car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover has led to the production.
The target of the cyber attack was the software operated by Collins Aerospace, an American company that provides billing and boarding services to several airports worldwide, but also deals with supporting the aerospace and defense industry globally, according to the publication 20 Minutos.
Visa was the Muse program, which allows different airlines to use the same billing couples and boarding gates in an airport.
In a press release, Collins Aerospace has informed the detection of “a interruption related to cyber problems in our software in certain airports.”
According to the explanations offered by the company, the impact of this incident “is limited to the electronic check-in of the clients and to the delivery of luggage and can be mitigated by check-in”.
NATO
This led to the check-in operations and embarking in these airports on paper, with the delays that this involves.
Only the British Airways airline could normally operate, because it has an alternative check-in and boarding system, according to the BBC.
Collins Aerospace is a branch of RTX, which provides consulting to other companies in the field of cyber security and provides support services for military operations.
Just a few days ago, the American company announced in a press release that it has signed a contract with the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) to provide the North Atlantic Alliance with a software for electronic war and battle management.
What does NATO do program do
According to them, this integrated software tool “is designed to plan, direct, coordinate, synchronize and evaluate the electromagnetic war activities”, both “own and the enemy,” they add.
The image of asbits offered by the software “will improve the understanding of the electromagnetic war capacities of both allies and enemies,” according to the American company.
“We equip the commanders with an essential tool for visualizing electronic war threats and automating the use of jamming devices and sensors,” said Ryan Bunge, vice president and general manager for ordering, control, communications, information and autonomy at Collins Aerospace. “This system will increase the effectiveness, interoperability, scalability and resilience of common operations.”
For the American company, this collaboration “close” with the Alliance “will significantly stimulate NATO's electromagnetic war capacities and contribute to the collective defense and security of the member countries.”
The signing of this agreement between Collins Aerospace and NATO takes place in a context of reunion and larger investments in the field of defense from its partners, notes the Spanish publication.
In addition, the tensions with Moscow have increased after recent incursions of Russian drones and fighter aircraft into NATO airspace.
