FAA outage makes case for resilience framework in critical infrastructure systems
UPDATE: January, 12 2023- A corrupt database file is to blame for the computer system outage at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that temporarily grounded all domestic flights across the US — but it’s still uncertain what caused damage to the database file.
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Jacksonville, Fl, January 11, 2023- While the cause of a halt on all departures nationwide Wednesday is still being investigated, vulnerabilities in the system highlight the need for resilience framework.
” There is no evidence of a cyberattack at this point, but the President directed DOT to conduct a full investigation into the causes.” – White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
The White House was quick to acknowledge the cause of the attack was not cyber related but offered, no other indications as to what might have caused the halt of all departures nationwide on Wednesday.
Whether the cause of thousands of delayed flights is due to a cyberattack or not, it’s possible this system could be a creased profile target for hackers in the future.
” A big part of security is making sure that systems are functional and trustworthy – whether from an attacker with malicious intent or from a random failure of hardware or even a network outage caused by a wayward backhoe. Everyone now knows how critical the NOTAM system is – a centralized service that all air travel relies on, and it will be under increased scrutiny going forward,” – said OnDefend Ben Finke.
Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure are on top of mind for companies around the world. As mentioned, in OnDefends recent article “The Top Quotes From 2023 Shaping Cybersecurity This Year” industry leaders have cited it’s not only aviation to be concerned about but also, the energy and health sectors will be a major priority.
As organizations continue to cut budgets and personnel as seen recently with Amazon, Salesforce, and Meta, security budgets will likely be reduced as well. For many, this means relying on an outdated and thinly layered security systems to fend off these skilled hackers.
Companies will need to rely more than ever on those security tools in place and focus on making sure those tools will work in a real-world emergency. It is no longer if an attack will happen but when.
About OnDefend
OnDefend helps companies prepare for and defend against real-world cyber adversaries by providing preventative information security services as well as its patented and proprietary cyber defense products BlindSPOT and Confirm4Me. By working with companies ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to regional businesses, OnDefend helps strengthen the private and public sectors security posture against continually evolving and persistent cyber adversaries throughout the US and around the world. To learn more, visit Ondefend.com
Media Contact: Lauren Verno, Lauren.Verno@ondefend.com