Cybersecurity Challenges in Modern Aviation: Protecting Digital Infrastructure in Aircraft Systems

Abstract

The rapid digital transformation of the aviation industry has significantly improved operational efficiency, communication, navigation, and passenger services. However, this increasing dependence on interconnected digital systems has also expanded the sector's exposure to cybersecurity threats. Modern aviation relies on aircraft avionics, satellite-based navigation, air traffic management systems, airport information infrastructure, and airline databases, all of which may become targets for cyberattacks.
This paper presents a narrative review of major cybersecurity challenges affecting contemporary civil aviation systems. The study is based on secondary sources including academic literature, regulatory documents, industry reports, and selected incident cases. The review identifies key threats such as GPS spoofing, ADS-B manipulation, malware, ransomware, data breaches, denial-of-service attacks, and insider threats, and examines critical vulnerabilities linked to legacy systems, weak authentication mechanisms, growing system interconnectivity, and fragmented cyber governance.
In addition, the paper examines the main technical and organizational responses discussed in the literature, including intrusion detection systems, continuous monitoring, encryption, zero-trust principles, employee training, and international information-sharing frameworks. The findings suggest that aviation cybersecurity must be approached not only as an information technology issue but also as a broader safety, operational, and regulatory concern requiring coordinated action among airlines, airports, manufacturers, regulators, and cybersecurity experts.