**Aviation Industry Urged to Prioritize Cybersecurity Amid Rising Threats and IT Modernization**
The aviation and travel sectors face a critical juncture as outdated IT systems strain under growing passenger volumes and escalating cyber threats, according to Martin Smillie, Senior Vice President of Communications and Data Exchange at SITA. Speaking at the launch of a new white paper on SITA Connect Go, Smillie emphasized the urgent need for secure, cloud-native infrastructure to ensure operational resilience and data protection.
A recent SITA Air Transport IT Insights report revealed that 66% of airlines and 73% of airports now rank cybersecurity among their top three priorities, reflecting the sector’s heightened vulnerability to digital attacks. The financial stakes are substantial—IBM estimates the average cost of a security breach at $4.44 million for large global companies.
Smillie stressed that the industry must move beyond reactive measures, embedding cybersecurity into core business strategy. Key steps include modernizing IT infrastructure, adopting cloud-native platforms, and implementing Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) networks to enhance visibility and incident response. SITA Connect Go, a purpose-built solution for air transport, exemplifies this shift by delivering secure, scalable connectivity that simplifies network architecture and reduces operational complexity.
With passenger demand surging and airports under increasing pressure, the industry’s IT spending is projected to reach $37 billion for airlines and $9 billion for airports in 2024. While innovations like biometrics, AI, and sustainable IT solutions are reshaping operations, Smillie warned that these advancements must be underpinned by robust security. As cyber threats grow in sophistication, the sector’s resilience hinges on infrastructure capable of evolving alongside emerging risks.
SITA Connect Go aims to future-proof operations by enabling real-time analytics, cost reduction, and seamless integration of next-generation technologies. Smillie framed the challenge as a defining moment for aviation: to meet the demands of a digitally connected world, the industry must prioritize cybersecurity at the heart of its transformation.
SITA cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/sita
"id": "SIT1765512742",
"linkid": "sita",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "12/2025",
"severity": "60",
"impact": "2",
"explanation": "Attack limited on finance or reputation"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Airlines, airports, '
'governments, and passengers '
'worldwide',
'industry': 'Aviation and Travel',
'location': 'Global (200+ countries and territories)',
'name': 'SITA',
'size': '2,500 customers, supports 1,000+ airports and '
'19,600+ aircraft',
'type': 'Technology Provider'},
{'customers_affected': '66% of airlines and 73% of '
'airports rank cybersecurity as '
'a top priority',
'industry': 'Aviation and Travel',
'location': 'Global',
'name': 'Airlines and Airports (General)',
'type': 'Industry Sector'}],
'data_breach': {'sensitivity_of_data': 'High (personally identifiable '
'information, operational data)',
'type_of_data_compromised': 'Sensitive passenger data and '
'critical systems data'},
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2025-12-11',
'description': 'The aviation and wider travel industry faces escalating cyber '
'threats due to legacy IT systems struggling to meet demands '
'of soaring passenger volumes. The sector must adopt secure, '
'scalable, cloud-native infrastructure to ensure operational '
'resilience and protect sensitive data.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Potential reputational damage due to '
'cybersecurity vulnerabilities',
'financial_loss': '$4.44 million (average cost of a security '
'breach for large global companies, per IBM)',
'operational_impact': 'Potential disruption to airline and airport '
'operations',
'systems_affected': 'Critical aviation and travel industry '
'systems, passenger data'},
'lessons_learned': 'Cybersecurity must be embedded into the fabric of '
'business strategy, not treated as a reactive safeguard. '
'Resilience requires anticipating threats, adapting '
'swiftly, and investing in intelligent, scalable systems.',
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': 'Modernize IT '
'infrastructure, migrate to '
'cloud-native platforms, '
'adopt SASE networks, and '
'embed cybersecurity into '
'business strategy',
'root_causes': 'Legacy IT systems, outdated '
'infrastructure, and lack of '
'scalable cybersecurity measures'},
'recommendations': 'Adopt secure, cloud-native infrastructure (e.g., SITA '
'Connect Go), modernize IT systems, implement SASE-based '
'networks, prioritize cybersecurity in digital '
'transformation, and invest in real-time analytics and '
'AI-driven solutions.',
'references': [{'source': 'SITA Air Transport IT Insights Report'},
{'source': 'IBM Security Report (Average Cost of a Data '
'Breach)'},
{'date_accessed': '2025-12-11',
'source': 'SITA White Paper on SITA Connect Go',
'url': 'https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a30cdf21-5617-4fb8-a6b0-4e883e6f6ce0'}],
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'White Paper launch and industry '
'insights report (SITA Air Transport '
'IT Insights)',
'enhanced_monitoring': 'Accelerated incident response '
'capabilities through SASE-based networks',
'remediation_measures': 'Modernizing IT infrastructure, '
'migrating to cloud-native platforms, '
'adopting Secure Access Service Edge '
'(SASE) networks'},
'stakeholder_advisories': 'Aviation and travel industry must prioritize '
'cybersecurity, modernize infrastructure, and adopt '
'cloud-native solutions to safeguard operations and '
'passenger data.',
'type': 'Cybersecurity Awareness and Infrastructure Vulnerability',
'vulnerability_exploited': 'Legacy IT systems and outdated infrastructure'}