Viewpoint: The Top 10 Cyber Threats Aviation Leaders Must Tackle Now

Here’s the blunt truth: aviation’s digital risk now rivals operational risk. One fake invoice, one stolen password, or one “helpful” AI prompt can halt flights, drain accounts, and leak VIP itineraries. If you think “IT’s got it,” you’re already on the back foot. This is the field guide I use with boards and executive teams—clear, practical, and focused on what actually hurts.

1) Ransomware and Data Extortion
Criminals lock up your systems and threaten to leak your data. This stops reservations, dispatch, crew scheduling—everything. Your defense: keep clean, offline backups; separate critical systems so one breach doesn’t spread; and practice your response before you need it.

2) Business & Vendor Email Compromise (BEC/VEC)
Scammers pose as your CFO, fuel supplier, MRO, or charter client and trick you into wiring money. Simple fixes work: never change bank details by email, require a phone callback to a known number, and use dual approvals for all large payments.

3) Deepfake Voice and Video
AI can now imitate your CEO’s voice or a trusted partner on a live call. On my podcast with CIOs and CISOs from major enterprises and agencies, deepfakes are already showing up. Smaller operators may not see it yet—but it’s coming. Set a rule: urgent, secret requests never bypass process, and always call back on a verified number with a shared passphrase.

4) Phishing and Password Theft
Most breaches still start with a phish. Today’s scams look perfect and can even defeat basic two-factor prompts by bombarding employees until they tap “Approve.” Reduce the risk by using physical security keys (FIDO2), turning off old, insecure login methods, and teaching staff to slow down on anything “urgent.”

5) Loyalty Account Takeover & Ticket Fraud
Miles are money. Attackers break into frequent-flyer accounts, cash out points, and reroute tickets. Require multi-factor authentication on loyalty accounts, watch for unusual redemptions or last-minute changes, and warn customers about fake “airline support” numbers.

6) Third-Party and Supply-Chain Failures
Your risk isn’t just your network—it’s your partners: GDS, SSO, ground handling, catering, maintenance software, payment processors. Ask for proof of security, limit the access each partner gets, and plan for a key vendor going down. If one link fails, your operation shouldn’t.

7) Data Privacy: Executive and PNR Exposure
Passenger data, passports, tail numbers, and high-profile itineraries are gold for criminals and stalkers. Keep less data, keep it shorter, and keep it locked. Treat lookups on VIPs as sensitive events, and make sure large data downloads set off alarms.

8) Data Privacy in the Age of AI (“Shadow AI”)
The fastest-growing risk isn’t a hacker—it’s well-meaning staff pasting real spreadsheets into public AI tools. That information can be stored or resurfaced. Publish a simple, firm AI-use policy: use only company-approved AI; never paste sensitive data into public tools; give people a safe internal option so they don’t go around you.

9) Insider Risk and Simple Mistakes
Most damage doesn’t come from a movie-style hacker—it comes from a rushed click, a misconfigured setting, or too much access. Keep access on a need-to-know basis, remove old accounts fast, and watch for unusual downloads. Regular reminders beat long policy binders.

10) Fake Charters, Spoofed Domains, Look-Alike Sites
Criminals copy your branding, spin up a fake charter site or RFP, and steal deposits and identities. Protect your domain, monitor for look-alikes, and take them down quickly. Inside your company, never accept wiring instructions or contract changes sent only by email or a link. 

What Happens When Attackers Get In:
They move sideways, learn your processes, change invoices, steal data, then encrypt or extort. The fastest wins come from watching identity (logins), endpoints (laptops/servers), and your core SaaS apps. If you can spot unusual logins and big data pulls quickly, you can stop most damage. 

Your Short, Practical Flight Plan 
Verify money moves. No bank-detail changes by email—ever. Call a known number. Require dual approvals.

Upgrade logins. Give execs, finance, IT, and admins hardware security keys to stop most phishing. 

MFA everywhere. Turn on multi-factor for email, VPN, SaaS, payroll—everything. Prefer app- or key-based; avoid SMS. 

Control AI use. Approve a safe, company AI; ban pasting sensitive data into public tools; give a compliant alternative.

Back up for real. Offline, immutable, tested restores—hours, not days.

Replace old AV with modern EDR. Behavior-based endpoint tools that can auto-isolate infected laptops, watched 24/7.

Train people like they matter. Short, frequent drills on BEC, deepfakes, and phishing; teach “slow down, verify.”

Final Word
Education beats fear. Educate yourself and your employees—not just on threats, but on your actual systems and vendors. Stay curious, ask questions now, and keep learning. If you wait until after the incident, the bill can run into the millions. 

Treat cyber risk like flight safety: continuous, disciplined, and unforgiving of complacency.

Joshua Crumbaugh is an AI tech founder (PhishFirewall, phishEQ) and former ethical hacker who’s worked with Fortune 50s and U.S. government teams.