New Munich Airport Information Security Hub tackles worsening cybercrime wave

Experts have warned that increasing digitization of supply chains could be the logistics sector’s Achilles heel. Even worse, most companies are not aware of their own security vulnerabilities, and most of us are ignorant of the frequency with which these attacks have occurred .

It turns out, the number of cyberattacks is surging – and it’s likely to get much worse.

Munich Airport (MUC) said it is taking that threat seriously, opening its Information Security Hub (ISH) – a multipurpose lab, event hall, control room and training center, where IT specialists will work with experts from the European aviation industry to develop strategies for defending against cyberattacks and new approaches to the fight against cybercrime.

“The further we move ahead with digitalization, and the more functions are performed and networked by computers, the more potential points of attack they will present to global cybercriminals – and the more serious the potential consequences of targeted attacks will become,” said Thomas Weyer, the CFO and director of infrastructure at FMG, Munich Airport’s operating company. “Attacks on IT systems around the world have taken on new dimensions in terms of quality and quantity, in recent years.”

MUC said that it has been targeted as part of a massive increase in the number of attacks on the IT systems of companies and public authorities in Germany.

The new competence center in Munich has four training rooms and IT labs, a control room and an amphitheater for presentations and briefings. All of the facilities are equipped with computers, network hardware, cameras and projectors. With this equipment, a group can carry out realistically simulated attacks on IT systems for training purposes, for example, with a second group assigned to take defensive measures.

Munich Airport says that, in addition to its own employees and other aviation security workers, enterprises, public authorities and other institutions will have the opportunity to train security experts and conduct testing of technologies and processes.

The ISH is housed in the former airmail control center at MUC. FMG is working with three IT security companies on the project: ERNW Insight, HvS-Consulting and IT-Cube Systems.