By Ashwani Mishra, Editor-Technology, 63SATS
In March 2025, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) faced a crippling cyberattack, with hackers demanding a $10 million ransom. The breach disrupted critical airport systems, triggering Malaysia’s national cybersecurity response.
This is just the latest in a string of cyberattacks targeting airports—not airlines—worldwide.
From Bristol Airport’s display blackout in 2018 to DDoS assaults on major U.S. airports and politically driven hacks in Europe, these incidents expose the growing vulnerabilities in aviation infrastructure.
As airports become increasingly digitized, they are now high-value targets in a fast-evolving cyber threat landscape demanding urgent global attention.
Here’s a look at 10 cyberattacks that have struck in recent years.
1. Bristol Airport, UK – September 2018
A ransomware attack disabled flight display systems, forcing manual operations for two days. No ransom was paid, but the incident highlighted vulnerabilities in airport digital infrastructure.
2. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, USA – April 2019
A malware attack shut down flight and baggage screens. Officials confirmed it was a ransomware attack but chose not to pay, restoring services manually over several days.
3. San Francisco International Airport, USA – March 2020
Hackers injected malicious code into two SFO websites, attempting to steal Windows login credentials. The breach was traced to a state-sponsored group, prompting a public security advisory.
4. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, USA – October 2022
Pro-Russian hackers launched a DDoS attack, temporarily disabling the airport’s website. Although public-facing services were hit, no flight operations were affected.
5. St. Louis Lambert International Airport, USA – October 2022
Another DDoS attack by the same hacker group took the airport’s website offline. Authorities reported no compromise of internal systems or flight delays.
6. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), USA – October 2022
Killnet, a Russian-speaking hacker group, targeted LAX’s website. The attack briefly disrupted public access but did not impact flight schedules or internal systems.
7. Chicago O’Hare International Airport, USA – October 2022
Chicago O’Hare’s website went offline due to a coordinated cyberattack by Killnet. The airport’s core operations remained unaffected, but the disruption raised national cybersecurity concerns.
8. Milan Airports, Italy – December 2024
Pro-Russian hackers targeted websites of Milan’s airports and Italy’s foreign ministry. The attack caused temporary outages, underlining geopolitical motives behind cyber threats to national infrastructure.
9. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, USA – August 2024
An apparent cyberattack caused major internet outages affecting airport connectivity and digital services. Investigations suggested it was part of a broader attack on regional infrastructure.
10. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (MAHB), Malaysia – March 2025
Hackers demanded a $10M ransom after breaching systems at KLIA. The government refused to pay. The incident disrupted airport operations and prompted national cybersecurity response efforts.
