Aviation Security Regulation in the Middle East

Our client is a prominent cybersecurity authority within a major Middle Eastern nation. They operate at a national level, overseeing and regulating cybersecurity across critical infrastructure, with a particular focus on the aviation sector. Their mandate includes setting standards, enforcing regulations, and ensuring the resilience of vital national systems against evolving cyber threats.

The client was facing a significant and escalating threat to the cybersecurity of their national civil aviation operational systems. This challenge was multi-faceted, encompassing:

• Escalating Cyberattacks: A notable increase in the frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks targeting critical aviation infrastructure, posing a direct threat to operational continuity, safety, and national security.
  ‍
• Protection of Sensitive Systems: An urgent need to fortify the cybersecurity posture of highly sensitive systems within the civil aviation sector, including air traffic control, communication networks, and other operational technologies that are vital for uninterrupted aviation services.
  ‍
• Integration of Cybersecurity Requirements: A critical gap in the comprehensive integration of cybersecurity requirements into the daily operations and strategic planning of airports across the country.

Beyond Blue addressed the mounting cybersecurity challenges by implementing a strategic, phased approach. Our assessment commenced with an international benchmarking review of the aviation sector’s cybersecurity landscape, focusing on global best practices specific to aviation.

This process incorporated a comprehensive international perspective, followed by an in-depth examination of four selected airports. Through our extensive network within the aviation industry, Beyond Blue obtained exceptional access and insights into how leading airports manage cybersecurity including air navigation, enabling the client to grasp effective best practices. This included input from a national air navigation organisation. Our analysis spanned from high-level regulatory frameworks to the intricate details of technical controls in place. The resulting benchmarking exercise equipped us with a robust blueprint of best practices, offering critical insights into successful cybersecurity management across various aviation environments. This unique methodology highlighted the necessity for resilient governance frameworks tailored to civil aviation, along with precise asset protection strategies grounded in practical examples.

Drawing upon these findings, our approach focused on supporting the development of a governance and operating model for the aviation sector. By adopting controls and frameworks published by the national agency, we crafted bespoke, standardised policies and procedures for the civil aviation authority to execute across the nation’s airports, ensuring alignment with both international best practices and our benchmarking insights. These policies encompassed key areas such as risk management, incident response, and capacity building.

Finally, Beyond Blue involved utilising data to identify IT and Operational Technology (OT) systems specific to the country's aviation infrastructure. Throughout the engagement, Beyond Blue maintained ongoing communication with the client, ensuring all solutions aligned closely with their mandate and available information.

The clients, who are cybersecurity experts, now have a unique cybersecurity understanding of the country's aviation ecosystem, contributed to transforming the cybrsecurity posture of their critical avaition infrustructure. The Cybersecurity Governance Model and Operating Model—delivered in both Arabic and English—established standardised frameworks that now inform policy, oversight, and operational decision-making across the national civil aviation sector. This approach is expected to enhance regulatory compliance, as capability development and training will be aligned at a national level. Cyber resilience redefined for the skies.