A single breach, the report warns, can lead to cascading failures: grounded flights, closed airspace and broken supply chains
Behind the turbulence of global air travel lies an escalating digital conflict. A new report from defence and technology firm Thales has warned of a dramatic rise in cyber attacks targeting the aviation sector — up 600 per cent in just one year — as geopolitical tensions, economic interests and digital vulnerabilities converge in a critical industry.
The report paints a stark picture: airlines, airports, navigation systems and even aircraft manufacturers are all facing growing threats from cyber attackers. Between January 2024 and April 2025, at least 27 attacks were recorded involving 22 different ransomware groups. Many of these incidents go beyond financial motives, veering into industrial cyber espionage and state-sponsored disruption.
What’s more, the nature of the threat is evolving. In addition to compromising flight operations, attackers are increasingly seeking access to avionics, communication systems, and high-value data, such as diplomatic itineraries or sensitive cargo manifests. This reflects a deeper, more strategic shift in the objectives of those behind the attacks.
Among the recent incidents cited in the report are a denial-of-service attack by a pro-Russian hacktivist group on a commercial airline, and ransomware campaigns that brought maintenance and logistics systems to a standstill at key transport hubs.
These attacks exploit the structural fragility of an interdependent and highly digitised sector. With vast networks of suppliers, critical software dependencies and high-value personal and strategic data, the risks of disruption are not just technical—they’re economic and geopolitical. A single breach, the report warns, can lead to cascading failures: grounded flights, closed airspace and broken supply chains.
“The aviation industry has become a digital battlefield with significant economic and geopolitical interests at stake,” said Ivan Fontarensky, chief technology officer for cyber detection and response at Thales. “The sharp increase in the number of attacks calls for a holistic approach to aviation cyber security, further moves to incorporate AI as an ally, and closer collaboration between industry and the public sector.”
The firm estimates the global aviation cyber security market will hit USD 5.32bn by 2025, with average annual growth of 8.7 per cent projected through 2029. Much of that growth, it said, is being fuelled by the increasing digitalisation of air travel—and the threats that come with it.
