Suspect arrested in probe of Cyber attacks that disrupted Heathrow, other airports

UK police have arrested a man in connection with an investigation into a massive cyber attack that has cracked major check-in systems at multiple large airports across Europe, causing days of travel problems.

On Tuesday, September 23, the National Crime Agency (NCA) announced that a man in his 40s was arrested in the West Sussex area on suspicion of committing cyber crimes under the Computer Misuse Act.

He has since been put on conditional bail. The case of arrest is associated with a cyber attack against Collins Aerospace, the US software provider whose baggage and check-in systems are shared among many airlines.

According to the head of NCA’s national crime unit, Paul Foster, “Although this arrest is a positive step, the investigation into this incident is in its early stages and remains ongoing.”

The cyber attack that was uncovered on September 19, compelled London Heathrow, Brussels, Berlin and Dublin airports, among others, to revert to manual check-in procedures.

It caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights and resulted in significant delays over the weekend.

The disruption in the operations has also extended into this week. Airlines have been asked to expect another week of manual workarounds as Collins Aerospace tries to reconstruct its undermined systems.

The cyber-security agency of the EU has verified that the attack involved ransomware tactics, which involve encrypting information belonging to one of the victims before requiring them to pay to regain access.  

Interestingly, no cybercriminal gang has so far come forward publicly through dark web leak sites to claim regarding its involvement in the breach.

This is the latest in a series of high-impact cyberattacks that have caused destruction to critical infrastructure in Europe. 

It comes after a recent extended closure of Jaguar Land Rover plants due to a different hack, and it indicates the increased susceptibility of major industries to organised cybercrime. 

The arrest is a significant move, but the law enforcement agencies warn that this criminal network is persistent and evolving.