Transport infrastructure, especially airports, is one of the most frequent targets of cyberattacks. Airports across Europe are facing a growing number of hybrid threats, including violations of airport airspace by drones. Such incidents can cause serious disruption to international air traffic, generate significant financial losses and trigger public concern.
Last year, several incidents involving drones or balloons entering airport airspace were recorded. These events led to the temporary closure of airports in Oslo, Copenhagen, Munich and Brussels, among others, resulting in major disruption to international traffic.
“Incidents that have occurred since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine have made us more alert to all kinds of unusual events, and even typical events are now subject to additional verification. The level of protection at civil airports in Poland, especially critical infrastructure, is high, but we are not resting on our laurels,” Łukasz Chaberski, president of Polish Airports, tells Newseria. “We are constantly working to ensure that this level of protection is as high as possible.”
As Chaberski emphasised during Defence24 Days, incidents involving drones and balloons have shown how important it is to integrate actions — from early threat detection and operational procedures to the rapid restoration of traffic and communication with passengers. According to the expert, what is crucial is a change in the approach to security, which is no longer merely a technical area but part of strategic and operational management. In his view, effective protection against unmanned aerial vehicles requires an integrated operational, military and regulatory approach.
“Airports must be, and are, prepared for all kinds of disruptions, including cyber disruptions, because for a long time we have been a target of attacks by various adversaries. Aviation is, by nature, a global sector based on IT systems used all over the world, so a successful attack in one location can affect the entire network,” says the president of Polish Airports.
The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, ENISA, indicates that the transport sector is the second most frequent target of cybercriminal attacks after public administration. In 2024, it accounted for 7.5 percent of all such incidents in the EU. Most reported incidents, 58.4 percent, concerned aviation.
Cybercriminals often use ransomware in their attacks. Such incidents occurred, for example, in 2024 at the airport in Split and in 2025 at airports in Brussels, Berlin and Dublin. Last year’s report by Thales showed that the number of ransomware attacks in the aviation sector increased by 600 percent over the course of a year. The threats covered various areas — from airlines and airports themselves to navigation systems and suppliers.
“We cooperate with our key stakeholders, including air carriers, ground handling agents and entities responsible for air navigation services, so that our networks are constantly monitored and checked for possible attacks. It is no secret that there are many such attacks. The pressure on our infrastructure is increasing, but we have top-level safeguards in place, and our role is to deal with such attacks effectively,” Chaberski assures.
Experts from Thales Group estimate that in 2025 the value of the aviation cybersecurity market exceeded USD 5.3 billion and will grow at an average annual rate of 8.7 percent until 2029. The report also points to a qualitative shift in cyber threats. In addition to attempts to disrupt aviation operations, attacks are now also aimed at industrial cyberespionage, access to sensitive technologies, disruption of supply chains and interception of valuable data.
This is particularly important because airports today function as dual-use infrastructure, serving both passenger and cargo traffic and supporting military mobility. They are also among the most sensitive elements of such infrastructure due to the potential consequences of disruption for air traffic, crisis logistics and military logistics.
“Airports will play, and already do play, a key role in the mobility system, including military mobility, because all aviation infrastructure is dual-use by its very nature. A civil airport, when the need arises, can be successfully used by the military. This is how we operate and cooperate with our military partners and allies in order to be ready to handle the demanding traffic they may require,” says the president of Polish Airports.
Poland has military-civilian airports where two separate entities operate: one civilian and one military. These include airports in Kraków and Wrocław.
“We also have airports that have naturally become dual-use. One example is Rzeszów Airport, which for several years has also served as a logistics hub for the military. Each of them, including Chopin Airport — the largest airport in this part of Europe, with the best transport and cargo handling capabilities — is ready to receive any military transport. Such transports take place from time to time in various locations across Poland,” says Chaberski.
“Airport infrastructure is extremely important, which is why it must be properly maintained and financed so that it can meet both civilian and military needs,” he adds.
