Your cyber safety toolkit

Shayne Campbell, CANSO Safety Programme Manager, explores the latest CANSO, ICAO and Airbus tool for addressing cybersecurity in ATM.

Cyber-attacks continue to be an emerging threat to the aviation industry as a result of increased digitalisation and the interconnectivity of systems, especially in ATM. Any disruption of these highly technical systems due to a cyber-attack could have the potential to seriously impact air transport. We must therefore be prepared to secure our systems and to adopt all necessary measures to ensure we continue to provide a highly safe and seamless service.

Over the course of the last few months, I have had the privilege to work closely with several colleagues from ICAO, Airbus and CANSO identifying and addressing gaps in ATM cybersecurity readiness.

To assist the ATM community, the three organisations have jointly developed the first of its kind Air Traffic Management Cybersecurity Policy Template. The policy template can be used to help ensure the resilience of the aviation system by outlining steps for developing a custom-fit solution for organisations seeking to establish cybersecurity policies as part of their normal procedures, and integrate them in every part of their business.

Reducing cybersecurity risks, increasing awareness of cyber threats to ATM, and bringing ANSP stakeholders responsible for cyber and safety management closer together, has been a focus of the CANSO safety programme for the last couple of years. This is one of the reasons I am really excited about the launch of the ATM Cybersecurity Policy Template as it is another excellent mechanism to achieve these three focus areas. And while I could go into great detail outlining the reasons I believe this new policy template succeeds in this, I think it best to hear from some of my colleagues who directly contributed to the effort as to why it’s important.

Mayda Ávila, ICAO Regional Officer, Communications, Navigation and Surveillance, ICAO NACC Office stated: ”Aviation has evolved incredibly in the last decades: cutting-edge technology, reception and transmission of data for real-time decision making are an essential part of today’s aviation operations, which is why cybersecurity must be an essential part of our operations. Working together, we will ensure our success.”

Julien Touzeau, Airbus Product Security Director, Americas, Safety, Security & Technical Affairs Head of Security and Crisis Management at Airbus Americas highlighted: “A well-defined Security Policy is the corner-stone of an efficient Security Management System. With the new CANSO template of security policy, its members will be able to build the foundations of a cyber-resilient information system and deliver enhanced digital services.”

If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to download a copy of the ATM Cybersecurity Policy Template and see how it might help your organisation.

You can read the Air Traffic Management Cybersecurity Policy Template here.