Breach Alert: Ransomware Attack on Collins Aerospace Cripples European Airports
Breach Alert: Ransomware Attack on Collins Aerospace Cripples European Airports
The Breach: What Happened
On September 19, 2025, a major cybersecurity incident struck Europe's aviation sector, disrupting operations at several major airports including Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin. The outage stemmed from a ransomware attack on Collins Aerospace's passenger processing system, known as MUSE and vMUSE.
Scale and Impact
Since this system is widely used across multiple airlines and airports, the attack spread quickly across borders and caused large-scale operational failures. The attack focused on disrupting systems rather than stealing passenger data directly, but the operational chaos was severe:
Flight cancellations and delays led to major revenue losses
Reputational damage for airports and airlines as travelers lost trust
Operational chaos as airports reverted to manual boarding and baggage processes
Regulatory scrutiny due to the incident's impact on critical infrastructure
Response and Recovery
Airports switched to manual fallback processes to keep limited operations running. Regulators and cybersecurity agencies confirmed it was a ransomware attack. Investigations are ongoing to determine the attackers and strengthen defenses.
Why This Matters
This incident highlights a critical vulnerability in modern aviation: single-point-of-failure dependencies on third-party systems. Even the most controlled sectors, such as the aviation industry, can be completely compromised when vendor systems are breached. The cascading impact across multiple countries demonstrates how interconnected critical infrastructure has become—and how vulnerable.
Prevention Strategies: How to Avoid This Type of Breach
1. Eliminate Single Points of Failure in Critical Systems
Why It Matters: The Collins Aerospace breach demonstrated how dependence on a single vendor's system can bring entire airport operations to a halt across multiple countries.
Action Steps:
Conduct business impact analysis to identify critical single-vendor dependencies
Develop redundancy strategies for mission-critical systems
Implement multi-vendor approaches where feasible
Create detailed failover procedures for vendor system outages
Maintain parallel systems for the most critical operations
Test failover capabilities regularly through planned exercises
Document maximum acceptable downtime for each critical system
Establish service level agreements (SLAs) with penalty clauses for outages
2. Develop and Test Manual Fallback Procedures
Why It Matters: When digital systems fail, organizations must continue operations manually. Airports in this incident scrambled to implement manual processes, causing additional delays and confusion.
Action Steps:
Document step-by-step manual procedures for all critical digital processes
Train staff regularly on manual fallback operations
Conduct quarterly drills simulating complete system outages
Maintain physical backup materials (forms, checklists, communication tools)
Create clear decision criteria for when to activate manual procedures
Establish communication protocols for coordinating manual operations
Measure and improve manual processing capacity
Store manual procedure documentation offline and in easily accessible locations
3. Implement Rigorous Third-Party Risk Management
Why It Matters: Organizations are only as secure as their least-secure vendor. The Collins Aerospace attack affected dozens of organizations that relied on their system.
Action Steps:
Conduct comprehensive security assessments before vendor selection
Require regular security audits and penetration testing from critical vendors
Include security requirements in procurement contracts
Mandate vendor participation in your incident response exercises
Establish right-to-audit clauses in vendor agreements
Require vendors to maintain cyber insurance with adequate coverage
Monitor vendor security posture continuously through third-party risk platforms
Create contingency plans for vendor compromise scenarios
Require vendors to demonstrate business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities
4. Build Resilience Through Network Segmentation
Why It Matters: Even if a vendor system is compromised, proper segmentation can prevent attackers from accessing your broader infrastructure.
Action Steps:
Isolate vendor connections in separate network segments
Implement strict firewall rules limiting vendor system access
Use jump servers or bastion hosts for vendor connectivity
Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) on vendor network segments
Monitor all traffic to and from vendor systems
Implement zero-trust network access (ZTNA) for vendor connections
Regularly audit network segmentation effectiveness
Create kill switches to quickly isolate compromised vendor systems
5. Strengthen Ransomware Defense Capabilities
Why It Matters: Ransomware attacks continue to evolve and target critical infrastructure. Prevention and rapid response are essential.
Action Steps:
Deploy next-generation anti-malware across all endpoints
Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized executables
Use email filtering and web gateways to block malicious content
Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions
Maintain offline, immutable backups tested regularly for restoration
Implement network behavioral analysis to detect ransomware activity
Create isolated recovery environments for safe system restoration
Establish policies against paying ransoms (most experts and agencies advise against it)
Train employees to recognize phishing attempts that deliver ransomware
6. Develop Comprehensive Incident Response Plans
Why It Matters: The difference between a manageable incident and operational catastrophe often comes down to how quickly and effectively organizations respond.
Action Steps:
Create specific incident response playbooks for vendor compromises
Define clear roles and responsibilities in crisis situations
Establish communication protocols with stakeholders (customers, regulators, media)
Conduct tabletop exercises simulating major vendor outages
Maintain updated contact lists for emergency coordination
Create pre-approved communication templates for various scenarios
Define decision authority for major actions during incidents
Document lessons learned and update plans after exercises or real incidents
Practice coordination with industry peers who use the same vendors
7. Implement Advanced Monitoring and Detection
Why It Matters: Early detection of vendor system compromises enables faster response and reduces operational impact.
Action Steps:
Monitor vendor system availability and performance continuously
Establish baseline behaviors for vendor system interactions
Deploy Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) integration with vendor systems
Create alerts for unusual patterns in vendor system access
Monitor dark web and threat intelligence sources for vendor targeting
Implement user behavior analytics for accounts accessing vendor systems
Set up automated escalation procedures for critical alerts
Maintain 24/7 security operations center (SOC) coverage for critical systems
8. Establish Industry Collaboration and Information Sharing
Why It Matters: Critical infrastructure sectors benefit enormously from sharing threat intelligence and coordinating defensive measures.
Action Steps:
Participate in industry Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs)
Join sector-specific cybersecurity working groups
Share anonymized threat intelligence with industry peers
Coordinate incident response with other organizations using same vendors
Participate in sector-wide cybersecurity exercises
Engage with government cybersecurity agencies (CISA, NCSC, etc.)
Contribute to and benefit from collective defense initiatives
Establish peer relationships for mutual support during incidents
9. Enhance Business Continuity Planning
Why It Matters: Organizations must continue operations even during major vendor system outages. Comprehensive business continuity planning is essential.
Action Steps:
Conduct business impact analyses for all critical vendor dependencies
Define recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO)
Develop continuity strategies for various outage scenarios
Maintain alternate vendors or systems for critical functions
Test business continuity plans through realistic simulations
Document dependencies between systems and vendors
Create communication plans for informing customers of disruptions
Establish partnerships with other organizations for mutual assistance
Maintain adequate reserves and insurance for extended outages
10. Mandate Vendor Security Transparency
Why It Matters: Organizations need visibility into vendor security practices to properly assess and manage risk.
Action Steps:
Require vendors to provide security architecture documentation
Request regular penetration test results and vulnerability assessments
Mandate notification of security incidents within specified timeframes
Require vendors to demonstrate compliance with industry standards
Ask for details on vendor backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity
Request information about vendor's own third-party dependencies
Negotiate contractual rights to conduct your own security assessments
Require participation in your security exercises and audits
Special Considerations for Critical Infrastructure
Organizations operating or dependent on critical infrastructure face unique challenges:
Regulatory Compliance
Aviation and other critical sectors face strict regulatory requirements. Ensure vendor security meets or exceeds these requirements and document compliance thoroughly.
Safety Implications
System failures in critical infrastructure can affect physical safety. Security measures must consider safety impacts and maintain safety systems' integrity even during cyber incidents.
Public Trust
Critical infrastructure breaches erode public confidence. Invest in transparent communication and robust security measures that demonstrate commitment to protection.
National Security Concerns
Critical infrastructure attacks may have national security implications. Coordinate with appropriate government agencies and follow sector-specific guidance.
Key Takeaways
The Collins Aerospace ransomware attack provides crucial lessons for any organization dependent on third-party systems:
Vendor risk is your risk - Third-party compromises become your operational crisis
Manual fallbacks are essential - Digital systems will fail; prepare to operate without them
Single vendors create single points of failure - Redundancy and diversity increase resilience
Ransomware targets critical systems - Attackers know which systems cause maximum disruption
Cross-border coordination is complex - International incidents require sophisticated coordination
The Bottom Line: Organizations can no longer treat vendor security as someone else's problem. Critical dependencies require rigorous security assessments, continuous monitoring, tested failover procedures, and comprehensive business continuity planning.
The aviation industry learned a hard lesson: in our interconnected world, a single vendor compromise can ground flights across an entire continent. Don't wait for a similar incident to test your resilience.
Immediate Actions to Take:
Identify all critical single-vendor dependencies in your organization
Test manual fallback procedures for your most critical systems
Review and enhance vendor security requirements in contracts
Conduct a tabletop exercise simulating major vendor compromise
Verify your backup and recovery procedures work as expected
The investment in resilience pays dividends when the inevitable vendor compromise occurs. Make that investment before you're the headline.
In critical infrastructure, security isn't just about data protection—it's about maintaining operations that people depend on every day.