news
year 2023
Not a day goes by or hackers have claimed an important “victory” by entering fortresses some of us didn’t think could even be hacked. Institutions, energy suppliers, infrastructure, etc… have been under attack for the last decade but it doesn’t look like pressure is decreasing, on the contrary.
In June 2022 Forbes magazine even took a more in-depth look at what is at stake and indicated
Cyber-attacks on airport systems, websites, and the entire transportation ecosystem could be just a taste of something larger than ever thought possible. The most recent attacks appear to be inconvenient disruptions on the surface, but once you understand how the ecosystem of attackers operate, you cannot eliminate the possibility that today’s technology inconvenience is a Phase 1 component of a grander attack.
Airports are a key part of a country’s infrastructure, indispensable for a country’s economical progress and are especially vulnerable. Not only because of the multiple number of suppliers that work at the airport, each with its own tools linked or not to the overriding airport systems.
There are multiple entries by which hackers can gain access, the overriding computer systems even if mostly still on premise, key suppliers’ own networks and solutions, the tools used by the different stakeholders that are part of the airport from ground handlers to retailers to border security. The more stakeholders the more complex it gets to manage all systems and solutions at the airport. The arrival of video analytics, IoT and all the latest technologies make managing security an ever more complex task.
The solution? Ring fence your IT network
The ideal way forward to protect an airport’s IT infrastructure is to move to standardization of all systems and the implementation of zero-trust software that protects networks at all times without ever letting down on its safeguard. Standardization of software is also a key element as many airports are still faced with (own or third party) proprietary solutions that no longer correspond to what is needed in 2023 with little people even understanding the basics of how they were set up.
The move to one IT environment with solutions that work like separate applications that are well guarded and protected on their own. Solutions that can easily be integrated in a bigger set up without forsaking on any safety precaution is the future. Most vulnerabilities in any enterprise context come from edge devices, exploiting a leak from a device can start a serious escalation of threats. To effectively protect assets and devices, running applications must be strictly isolated. This means assets are then isolated from the rest of the network just like fire doors isolate rooms in a building.
How OCEM Airfield address the security challenges?
At OCEM Airfield we have embraced the technology of Edge SDN. Edge SDN is a network based on standard Software Defined Network switches and a Central Management Console to create Zero-Trust security creating the best resilience according to the international safety standards.
Our overriding control and monitoring solution is not only based on leading proven, tested and trialed web technologies used by the likes of Amazon and Microsoft but also corresponds to the latest and strictest zero-trust security approach.
With Edge SDN the protection is extended inside the network itself thanks to the concept of host isolation and micro-segmentation. Thanks to the self-learning Artificial Intelligence System for threat assessment, the system is now able to identify an internal attacker or a compromised host, isolate it, and prevents malicious actions while preserving the functionalities of the system.
The airport is a world on its own that is interlinked with many systems, solutions and applications, understanding how every single solution and application can be secured and protected on its own and by the network should be part of any strategy to guarantee a safe and secure airport that can withstand any treats from the outside without ever losing the flexibility of adding new applications that are critical for the management of the airport.
OCEM Airfield takes care of the Airfield Ground Lighting Control and Management system, a critical element in managing and monitoring the airside not only for maintenance purposes to indicate what run-or taxiways are closed, for predictive maintenance but often also for helping pilots with the visual guidance and its brightness during low visibility conditions.
Airfield Ground Lighting is and will always be a key aspect in the safety set up of an airport, hence the importance of it being available non-stop and always managing and indicating the current airside visual conditions.
When it comes to safeguarding infrastructure, airports need to go for that zero-trust approach and thus adapt solutions that embrace the latest technologies but at the same time remain open so they can easily interface with other applications or be integrated into a bigger set-up.
Long gone are the times when fully proprietary solutions were brought in and worked as separate solutions with both their own soft- and hardware. This is no longer an option in times where airports need to become real fortresses that are well protected to maintain a non-stop 24/7 working cycle.
Want to understand how OCEM Airfield supports airports in their move to flexibility, efficiency and safety? Contact us via marketing@ocem.com