Cybersecurity Issues and Challenges in Civil Aviation Security

It is crucial to remember that security protocols for civil aviation are constantly updated and assessed to reflect new threats and technological advancements. Even though these precautions greatly increase security, there is always a chance of hijacking. However, the objective is to reduce the risk of such situations occurring and to assure immediate response and resolution in the event that they do. Aviation security is an essential aspect of modern-day air travel. It involves a range of measures designed to protect passengers, crew, and aircraft from unlawful interference such as hijacking, terrorism, and sabotage. The software components of these systems are increasingly at risk due to their interconnectedness. These concerns are expected to increase as the aviation industry rolls out increasingly electronic-enabled planes and smart airports. Trends and lessons from a 20-year analysis of aviation cybersecurity risks and attack surfaces might guide future frameworks to defend a vital industry. Cybercriminals, especially nation-state actors and terrorists, are increasingly drawn to the aviation industry as it grows more digitised and dependent on wireless technology. Malicious actors can take advantage of vulnerabilities in designing and implementing the vast number of linked devices and subsystems. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the aviation infrastructure's weak spots in terms of the threat actors and attack methods that are most likely to be used during persistent attack operations. The sector will benefit from the analyses by better understanding its current and future cybersecurity measures. According to information currently available, state actors and persistent advanced threat groups working together to enhance local aviation capacities and track, permeate, and compromise the abilities of other sovereign countries pose the greatest risks to the aerospace industry. Malicious hacking is the most common attack on the aviation industry's computer infrastructure. Air Traffic Management (ATM) uses Safety Management Systems (SMS) to implement safety policies, practices, and procedures in compliance with international standards. SMS effectiveness is crucial to ATM safety in a changing operating environment. The primary objective of this chapter is to peer-review civil aviation security issues and challenges. Our recommendations and ideas will help the civil aviation industry and new researchers.