Man arrested in UK over alleged cyberattack that affected European airports

Key Points

• A man in his 40s was arrested in southern England for a cyberattack that disrupted operations at multiple European airports, including London Heathrow.
• The U.K. National Crime Agency stated that the suspect has been released on conditional bail while investigations continue into this ongoing cybercrime threat.
• The cyberattack, which began late Friday, affected electronic systems at airports like Berlin and Brussels, leading to issues such as handwritten boarding passes being required.
• The disruption originated from a software issue with Collins Aerospace, but the identities of those responsible for the attack remain unknown and could involve various actors.

LONDON (AP) — A man in his 40s was arrested in southern England over an alleged cyberattack that disrupted several European airports in recent days, including at London Heathrow, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.

The U.K.'s National Crime Agency said the suspect was held in West Sussex on Tuesday on suspicion of offenses involving the misuse of computers and was released on conditional bail.

“Although this arrest is a positive step, the investigation into this incident is in its early stages and remains ongoing," said Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s national cybercrime unit. “Cybercrime is a persistent global threat that continues to cause significant disruption to the U.K."

Starting late Friday and lasting through the weekend, airports in Berlin, Brussels and London were hit by disruptions to electronic systems that snarled up check-in and sent airline staffers trying options like handwriting boarding passes or using backup laptops. Many other European airports were unaffected.

The cyberattack affected the software of Collins Aerospace, whose systems help passengers check in, print boarding passes and bag tags, and dispatch their luggage. The U.S.-based company on Saturday cited a “cyber-related disruption” to its software at "select” airports in Europe.

It was not immediately clear who might be behind the cyberattack, but experts said it could turn out to be hackers, criminal organizations or state actors.

The European Commission, the executive branch of the 27-nation European Union, said aviation safety and air traffic control were unaffected.