Electronics & Connectivity - September 5, 2012 - 14

Securing IT in the sky
Along with IT systems and communication links comes IT security as a new factor when evaluating and monitoring the operational risk that needs to be managed during the operation of the aircraft.
echnological developments in the areas of communication infrastructures and information technologies, as well as the highly competitive and efficiency driven air travel market, have resulted in the emergence of IT systems inside and outside the aircraft. These IT systems ensure safety and operational reliability of the aircraft while delivering services to crew and passengers. As such, engineers from Airbus and other companies have also introduced IT security when evaluating and monitoring the operational risk that needs to be managed from development through production to operation of the aircraft. For the IT security management of aircraft in operation, the first step is to secure the processes and tools available to update the information and services provided by aircraft IT systems (e.g., navigation charts). The need to protect the integrity and authenticity of the data that is loaded onto the aircraft IT system has been studied extensively. But this is only one of the

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elements required to maintain the security level of the aircraft in operation. Furthermore, processes and tools need to be established to maintain the security level of these aircraft IT systems and to detect and respond to any security events affecting them.

Maintenance meets security

In the last century, maintenance has progressed from inspections mainly before each flight to Reliability Centered Maintenance common today. This evolution was driven by the fact that corrosion and material fatigue were causing equipment failures, which in turn had an impact on the safety and operational
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September 5, 2012
Electronics & Connectivity - September 5, 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Electronics & Connectivity - September 5, 2012
