# Notes on UK and Europe airport breach


The context of this note is about the breach that happened in september 2025 in different airports (Heathrow, Brussels, Berlin) and discuss it with IB students.

I posted this so we can use it in class to explain what happened.

The idea is also link it to the Case Study for HL

## Sources

Good sources:

https://socradar.io/heathrow-airport-cyberattack-what-cisos-should-know/
(they try to sell their stuff but it's a nice source)

https://bitlifemedia.com/2025/09/caos-en-aeropuertos-europeos-lo-que-sabemos-del-ciberataque-a-collins-aerospace-y-su-vinculo-con-la-otan/ (Spanish)

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/software-behind-europes-check-chaos-what-muse-why-it-matters-1744732

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366631592/Cyber-attack-that-downed-airport-systems-confirmed-as-ransomware

Technical source (I think that wasn't written properly and not updated, so I suspect AI slop)

https://www.cyfirma.com/research/from-muse-to-manual-cyberattack-analysis-on-european-airport-operations/

## The target of the attack

### Collins Aerospace


https://www.collinsaerospace.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collins_Aerospace

### ... an RTX company

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTX_Corporation

The agreement with NATO

https://www.rtx.com/news/news-center/2025/09/16/rtxs-collins-aerospace-awarded-nato-contract-for-electromagnetic-warfare-command

## The program cMuse

https://prd-sc102-cdn.rtx.com/-/media/ca/product-assets/files/public/services-and-support/information-management/arinc-airports/passenger-processing-systems/cmuse/airports_arinc-cmuse_bro_a4_emea.pdf?rev=30f1c6a47d774a2a85aa6db2d693b0e6&hash=3E94F9CE4686C51484956297DB24FD60

https://www.collinsaerospace.com/what-we-do/industries/airports/passenger-processing-solutions/agent-assisted-check-in