plane flying from boston airport

Research: Only Three Top International Airports Pass Basic Cybersecurity Checks

A cybersecurity firm conducted basic testing on the top 100 airports’ public websites and mobile apps. No U.S. airports passed it, and only three European airports did.

A strikingly low number of the world’s top 100 international airports pass basic cybersecurity checks -- and none of them are in the United States, according to research published by cybersecurity firm ImmuniWeb.

Only three European airports were able to pass all of the security tests undertaken by the firm, including cybersecurity checks on their websites, official mobile apps and any issues with where sensitive data (including passenger information) was stored that could lead to leaks on the dark web.

Those airports are the Dublin International Airport in Ireland, the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands, and the Helsinki Vantaa Airport in Finland.

Among the most startling findings from the report are that 97 percent of public airport websites contain outdated web software, and that 100 percent of their mobile apps contained at least five external software frameworks and at least two known vulnerabilities. An average of fifteen security or privacy issues were detected on each app.

These issues “could be credibly exploited to attack an airport authority, obtain a foothold on vulnerable systems, and then infiltrate an airport's internal network,” according to ZDNet.

The tech website pointed to attempted cyber attacks on Ukraine’s largest airport by Russian hackers and a cyber attack on the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport that took down WiFi services in 2018.

In addition to software issues, 66 percent of airports are exposed on the dark web, and 72 out of the 325 exposures discovered are of a critical or high risk indicating a serious breach, according to ImmuniWeb’s findings.

Ilia Kolochenko, the CEO and founder of ImmuniWeb, said in a statement that the findings were concerning for any traveler who has used a public airport website or WiFi network.

“Given how many people and organizations entrust their data and lives to international airports every day, these findings are quite alarming,” Kolochenko said. “Cybercriminals may well consider attacking the unwitting air hubs to conduct chain attacks of the travelers or cargo traffic, as well as aiming attacks at the airports directly to disrupt critical national infrastructure.”

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

  • Report: Cyber Attackers Continue to Turn to AI-Based Tools to Avoid Detection

    Comcast Business recently released its 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report, a comprehensive analysis of 34.6 billion cybersecurity events detected between June 1,2024 and May 31, 2025. Now in its third year, the report offers business leaders a unique perspective into the evolving threat landscape and provides actionable insights to help organizations strengthen their defenses and align cybersecurity with business risk. Read Now

  • Axis Communications Creates AI-powered Video Surveillance Orchestra

    What if cameras could not only see the world, but interpret it—and respond like orchestra musicians reading sheet music: instantly, precisely, and in perfect harmony? That’s what global network technology leader Axis Communications set to find out. Read Now

  • Just as Expected

    GSX produced a wonderful tradeshow earlier this week. Monday was surprisingly strong in the morning, and the afternoon wasn’t bad at all. That’s Monday’s results and asking attendees to travel on Sunday. Just a quick hint, no one wants to give up their weekend to travel and set up an exhibit booth. I’m just saying. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX
  • NOLA: The Crescent City

    Twenty years later we finds ourselves in New Orleans. Twenty years ago the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina forced exhibitors and attendees to look elsewhere for tradeshow floor space. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.