Tony O’Riley-
A man in his 40s has been arrested in West Sussex following an alleged cyber attack that caused disruption at several major airports, including Heathrow, over the weekend.
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed the suspect was detained on Tuesday on suspicion of offences under the Computer Misuse Act. He has since been released on conditional bail.
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The attack against US software maker Collins led to hundreds of flight delays throughout the weekend , following the discovery on Friday night, and resulted in disruption across many European airports, including in Brussels, Dublin and Berlin.
Some UK airports still experiencing effects of the delays into this week.
“Although this arrest is a positive step, the investigation into this incident is in its early stages and remains ongoing,” said Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s national cyber crime unit.
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The man was arrested on Tuesday evening on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences and has been released on bail.
The attack reportedly targeted systems operated by Collins Aerospace, a company that provides check-in and boarding services for a number of airlines worldwide. The disruption was felt at London Heathrow, as well as airports in Brussels and Berlin, with passengers facing delays to travel.
Deputy Director Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, described the arrest as a “positive step” but stressed the investigation was still at an early stage.
He said: “Cybercrime is a persistent global threat that continues to cause significant disruption to the UK. Alongside our partners here and overseas, the NCA is committed to reducing that threat in order to protect the British public.”
The NCA enquiries continue
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