Airports Council International (ACI) World has announced the launch of a new airport assessment programme, which will help improve cyber awareness for airport operators.
Speaking in Montreal at the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Security Week 2023, the trade association said it wanted to “advocate for a cybersecurity regulatory framework that is developed to be outcomes focused, fit for purpose, leveraging existing standards and frameworks, and promoting cybersecurity culture across the aviation industry.”
ACI World has launched the latest addition to the Airport Excellence (APEX) peer assessment programme to help airports identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities, mitigate risks, and ensure regulatory compliance.
The programme has been running since 2011 and the new APEX in Cybersecurity offering is an onsite airport review serving as a starting point for assessing cybersecurity practices at airports.
Luis Felipe de Oliveira, director general at ACI World, said: “It is critical that stakeholders continue to work collaboratively to strengthen the aviation ecosystem’s mitigation and resilience to cyber events.
“A cybersecurity framework that is outcomes focused and fit for purpose, coupled with the development of incident responses and recovery mechanisms as well as international cyber information sharing are pivotal to our shared goal of a thriving air transport system.”
He added: "A strong collaborative approach is essential to address cyber threats.”
The International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Security Week 2023: Aviation Security (AVSEC) & Cybersecurity (CYBERSEC) runs until October 27.