Split Airport in Croatia hit by cyberattack
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On the evening of July 22, 2024, Split Airport, a gateway for tourists to Croatia's Adriatic coast, experienced a disruption due to a cyberattack. The attack took place around 7:30 PM local time and resulted in operational challenges, including flight cancellations and delays.
The incident began with the detection of technical difficulties within the airport’s IT system. These issues quickly escalated, leading to the cancellation and delay of multiple flights. Passengers were forced to stay overnight at the airport, waiting for the resumption of normal operations. The airport officials worked through the night to recover functionality of the systems.
The attackers - the hacker group Akira targeted the airport’s IT infrastructure, using ransomware to lock critical systems. As a result, the airport's staff had to switch to manual operations to manage the flow of passengers and flights.
No details are disclosed of any data stolen or number of individuals affected.
Transport Minister Oleg Butkovic confirmed that the disruptions were the result of a cyberattack. He revealed that the attackers had initiated contact to negotiate, but the authorities refused to comply with their demands.
According an airport official, experts are working to eliminate the consequences of the attack. The airport maintained communication with all airlines to seek alternative solutions and minimize the impact on passengers. By early Tuesday afternoon, the airport reported no significant delays and was on track to handle approximately 80 flights and 25,000 passengers throughout the day.
