UAE General Civil Aviation Authority presents proposal to combat threat of cyber-security

The UAE delegation, participating in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) 39th Triennial Assembly in Montreal, is headed by Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the UAE GCAA.

The proposal outlines the growing threat posed by cyber-criminals to civil aviation information communications and technology (ICT) systems. In July 2015 a cyber-security conference was organized in Singapore, in partnership with ICAO and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), where civil aviation stakeholders met and conducted a range of detailed risk assessments in order to identify cyber-security gaps and develop a list of possible remedial actions.

Proposed actions include the need for ICAO to establish a global framework for civil aviation stakeholders to address cyber-threats. While at the State level it is important for aviation security authorities to develop and provide regulatory oversight to deal with cyber-threats.

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of the UAE GCAA, said: “Given that modern ICT systems have put the civil aviation sector at particular risk of cyber-attack, we were keen to bring this proposal before the ICAO Assembly. Cyber-attacks are more likely to be successful in any sector whose component parts are highly interdependent, and because the cyber-defense mechanisms currently possessed by the civil aviation sector are not yet adequate to deal with this rapidly evolving threat we felt obligated to raise this important topic with all of ICAO’s members.”

“The UAE is striving to develop its aviation infrastructure while specifically promoting initiatives designed to enhance aviation safety and security worldwide. We believe in the principle of international cooperation, and consistently strive to build bridges of collaboration with the international civil aviation community,” added Al Suwaidi.

The UAE GCAA’s proposal also suggested that individual stakeholders establish their own set of actions to protect operations against cyber-threats; this would include the development of early detection mechanisms to allow for a rapid response to threats. Additionally, the proposal highlighted the need for the sharing of information and best practices amongst agencies on civil aviation security.

Hamad Salem Al Muhairi, assistant director general of aviation security affairs, said: "We believe in the importance of the civil aviation sector in the UAE’s economy and the need for international collaboration, especially in regards to safety and security. This is why we are working to promote a range of actions to combat the ever-evolving threat of cyber-attacks.”