UK Police Arrest Man Over Cyberattack That Disrupted European Airports
British police have arrested a man in connection with a ransomware attack on Collins Aerospace, a unit of RTX, that disrupted check-in systems at several European airports and caused widespread travel chaos.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the suspect, a man in his 40s, was detained on Tuesday on suspicion of violating the Computer Misuse Act. He has since been released on conditional bail.
“Although this arrest is a positive step, the investigation into this incident is in its early stages and remains ongoing,” said NCA Deputy Director Paul Foster.
Authorities have not yet identified which criminal group was behind the hack. Unlike many ransomware gangs that typically publicize their attacks and leak stolen data on dark web sites, monitoring groups said no organization has yet claimed responsibility for the Collins Aerospace breach.
Ransomware attacks involve malicious software that encrypts a company’s data, with criminals demanding payment to unlock it. Such groups usually try to avoid targets likely to draw heavy law enforcement attention.
The Collins Aerospace hack is the latest in a series of cyberattacks in Europe that have triggered serious offline disruptions. Jaguar Land Rover, Britain’s largest carmaker and owned by Tata Motors, announced this week it would extend factory shutdowns until October 1 after a separate hack left operations paralyzed.
Berlin airport, one of several affected by the Collins Aerospace incident, warned it could take several more days before secure and fully functional systems are restored.
British police have arrested a man in connection with a ransomware attack on Collins Aerospace, a unit of RTX, that disrupted check-in systems at several European airports and caused widespread travel chaos.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the suspect, a man in his 40s, was detained on Tuesday on suspicion of violating the Computer Misuse Act. He has since been released on conditional bail.
“Although this arrest is a positive step, the investigation into this incident is in its early stages and remains ongoing,” said NCA Deputy Director Paul Foster.
Authorities have not yet identified which criminal group was behind the hack. Unlike many ransomware gangs that typically publicize their attacks and leak stolen data on dark web sites, monitoring groups said no organization has yet claimed responsibility for the Collins Aerospace breach.
Ransomware attacks involve malicious software that encrypts a company’s data, with criminals demanding payment to unlock it. Such groups usually try to avoid targets likely to draw heavy law enforcement attention.
The Collins Aerospace hack is the latest in a series of cyberattacks in Europe that have triggered serious offline disruptions. Jaguar Land Rover, Britain’s largest carmaker and owned by Tata Motors, announced this week it would extend factory shutdowns until October 1 after a separate hack left operations paralyzed.
Berlin airport, one of several affected by the Collins Aerospace incident, warned it could take several more days before secure and fully functional systems are restored.
