Clear for Takeoff: Defending Airport OT from Cyber Threats & Regulatory Pitfalls

There is a natural tension between preparing for worst-case scenarios and avoiding unnecessary alarm. CISA promotes joint preparedness across cyber and emergency management communities; you can help shift the focus from recovery to restoring public and stakeholder confidence when systems are back online.

Join us as thought leaders from government and the private sector discuss the big picture – that preparing for a cyber attack at a National Special Security Event, responding to that attack, and working to restore confidence – and answer your questions. As modern airports integrate critical Operational Technology (OT) – from baggage handling and fueling to lighting systems – with traditional IT networks, the legacy concept of the “air gap” as protection has vanished.

High-profile incidents at major hubs like SeaTac and Heathrow highlight how cyberattacks attacks lead to large-scale disruptions of physical operations. Compounding these operational threats, aviation leaders face stringent regulatory pressure to meet TSA Security Directives (SD 1542-23-01), CIRCIA 72-hour incident reporting windows, and NIST SP 800-82 standards.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover how microsegmentation neutralizes lateral movement and isolates administrative IT from safety-critical OT environments to prevent ransomware and phishing attacks from escalating into airport-wide outages
• Learn strategies to mitigate third-party and supply chain risks, secure vendor API connections and shared platforms, to contain breaches originating from airline partners, concessionaires, or third-party service providers
• Understand how to streamline regulatory compliance by aligning your network architecture with TSA SD 1542-23-01 mandates and building the visibility needed to satisfy CIRCIA and NIST reporting requirements