On Wednesday, UK police reported the arrest of a man in his 40s following a cyberattack that disrupted operations at major European airports, including Brussels, Berlin, and London’s Heathrow.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) stated the suspect was released on conditional bail after being detained in West Sussex, southeast England, on Tuesday night, suspected of violating the Computer Misuse Act.
“This arrest is a positive development, but the investigation is still in its initial stages,” said NCA Deputy Director Paul Foster in a statement.
“Cybercrime remains a persistent global threat, causing significant disruption in the UK,” he added.
The NCA began its investigation after a “cyber incident impacting Collins Aerospace” was reported last Friday.
Collins Aerospace provides check-in and baggage drop systems to several airlines at various airports worldwide.
The EU’s cybersecurity agency confirmed the disruption was “caused by a third-party ransomware incident.”
The ongoing disruption, though limited at some European airports on Wednesday, led to flight cancellations and delays, particularly on Saturday.
Airlines had to conduct manual check-ins and baggage drops, slowing procedures.
Collins Aerospace announced on Saturday that it was “aware of a cyber-related disruption to our MUSE software at select airports,” affecting electronic customer check-in and baggage drop.
