Cyber Incident Research

- Like much of the UK's Critical National Infrastructure, the UK transport sector is a potential target for cyber-attacks. These may occur across the multitude of different systems and technologies that facilitate travel. There is scope for considerable economic and social disruption from malicious attacks, with the aviation sector in particular being a high profile and attractive target.

- While aviation industry response plans to cope with physical attacks are well understood, tested and exercised, the Authority's experience of running table top exercises with separate areas of industry indicate that response plans for cyber-attacks require further development. There is a need to understand what current and future planning looks like, and what support industry requires from government to make it more resilient to cyber-attack. In this respect the Authority invites bids to provide: • A comprehensive report outlining the UK aviation industry's current capability and future plans to respond to a serious cyber incident, and what support is required from government. The report is to be based on consultation with key aviation industry stakeholders across the UK. • A summary of the findings. - The aims and objectives of the work are to: • Inform the Authority of the state of incident response capability in the UK aviation industry, highlighting any particular weaknesses or gaps, focussing on pre-incident planning, incident response, and post-incident recovery; • Outline the future direction of travel for response plans, and what support and advice industry requires from government, including the role it should play.