NEW YORK — Websites at some of the nation’s largest airports, including LaGuardia, have been largely restored after being breached by Russian hackers.
More than a dozen websites were affected on Monday morning, with a Russian hacking group claiming responsibility.
The target systems did not provide air traffic control, internal airline communications/coordination, or transportation security.
While the attack did not disrupt air travel, it raises concerns that America will be a target for future cyberattacks.
The attacks were first reported around 3 a.m. when the Port Authority notified the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency that the LaGuardia system had been hit.
A Port Authority spokesman said their website was hacked within 15 minutes in what appeared to be a coordinated cyber attack on US airport websites.
Within 15 minutes, the Port Authority said cybersecurity detected the breach and allowed them to alert other airports and federal agencies.
LGA was reopened, but other airports around the country were subsequently targeted, including Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, Los Angeles’ LAX, and Chicago’s O’Hare.
“It’s very clear to us that a Russian cyber group claimed responsibility, and we’re asking our authorities to confirm who did it and then take appropriate, decisive action to let the Russians know they can’t get away with it,” said Senator Charles Schumer.
The FBI and CISA would say only that their agencies are “aware” of the incident.
Investigators are looking into the Russian cyber group Killnet and any possible links to the war in Ukraine.
“Putin has a lot of audacity, after his brutal war against the Ukrainian people, to say that he has the right to retaliate because they defended themselves with a bridge, that’s outrageous,” Schumer said.
Engineers and programmers are now working to close the backdoors that allowed the attacks to try to prevent more serious attacks in the future.
“We’re going to find out who you are, and we have ways to permanently disable you from being hacked, and we’re going to do that,” Schumer said.
Federal officials are investigating.
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