In the wake of the most recent in a string of cyberattacks that have affected the aviation sector, the American Airlines pilot union is attempting to restore its systems.
On October 30, the union, which is in charge of over 15,000 pilots at the airline, put up a notice on its website describing how it became aware of the cyberattack.
The undisclosed cybersecurity firm hired to conduct the investigation confirmed that the union was infected with ransomware and that some systems were encrypted.
“As a result, the restoration of those systems has entailed a methodical and time-consuming process for our IT team and outside experts,” the company stated. “As we work to recover from backups, we are also continuing to assess potential impacts to data, including member data. Investigations of this nature often take time to complete.”
The company's IT staff is restoring its systems in collaboration with independent specialists, and they reported that progress is being made, meaning that soon, some services will be operational again.
“Once the initial restoration is in place, we will continue to restore additional services over the coming hours and days, placing a priority on pilot-facing products and tools,” the union added. “We are working diligently to be fully operational as soon as possible, while keeping the security of our systems front and center.”
The union claimed in social media posts that the cybersecurity incident started early on October 30. Throughout the week, a few essential services were brought back online, but the company will keep you informed about their progress.
Over the past six months, attacks on the aviation industry have been constant. A day after a cyberattack targeted one of Mexico's busiest airports, aircraft manufacturer Boeing announced that it was taking action in response to an attack that affected its parts and distribution division.
Ransomware gangs claimed responsibility for both incidents. Air Canada and Air Europa have also had incidents in the last month, and European aerospace giant Airbus disclosed in September that it was looking into a cybersecurity incident.