10 September 2020: Under the European Strategic Coordination Platform (ESCP) initiative, representatives of European aviation stakeholders, as well as non-European aviation organisations participating as observers, elaborated a strategy aimed at reducing and mitigating the cyber risk in aviation.

According to observations, cybersecurity incidents are increasing in frequency, magnitude and complexity, and have no borders. Technological advances and behavioural changes in people are major drivers of this trend and both are modifying the risk landscape of many sectors, including air transport/aviation.

To address this threat, EASA has developed a Cybersecurity Roadmap, endorsed by the Management Board in November 2015. Since then, EASA has worked on its implementation and a number of initiatives were launched to better address cybersecurity risks in aviation improving resilience and fostering built-in security.  

The achievement of a cyber resilient aviation system and the incorporation of cybersecurity into the current safety notion require a coordinated effort of the aviation system stakeholders. To this extent, the EASA-led European Strategic Coordination Platform (ESCP) involves collaboration from ERA and representatives of other key industry stakeholders, member states and EU Institutions.  

The publication of the Strategy for Cybersecurity in Aviation [1] is aimed at improving the international collaboration on the subject as well as promoting the sharing of information amongst aviation stakeholders.  This collaboration is contributing at harmonising aviation stakeholder’s objectives and has made possible the development of this first common Strategy for Cybersecurity in Aviation.  The involved stakeholders are also in the process of defining a common roadmap in order to implement this strategy. 

Additionally and to promote voluntary information sharing and expert collaboration, the European Centre for Cybersecurity in Aviation (ECCSA) has been created and ERA are in the process of applying for membership of this important initiative.