Screen displays at the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Lebanon were defaced with messages on Jan. 7, after hackers successfully compromised the flight information display systems at Beirut's main international airport.
The messages criticized Hezbollah, the Lebanese Islamist political party and militant group, and Iran.
Multiple flight information displays were defaced with the same message, according to footage shared with local media.
According to the privately-owned Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, the same attack also disrupted the smooth operation of the airport's baggage handling system, with police putting greater reliance on the use of police dogs during baggage inspection checks.
Fog of Cyberwar Carried out in the name of a Christian Lebanese group called Soldiers of God, the messages ostensibly criticize Iran and Hezbollah for drawing Lebanon towards a war with Israel by launching drone and rocket attacks.
However the Christian Lebanese group named in the messages has taken to social media to deny any involvement in the hack.
A Lebanese security source told the Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel might well be behind the attack, while adding that a great deal of work needs to be carried out before any attribution.
In the weeks since Hamas' Oct. 7 terror attack in Israel, all sides of the conflict have launched cyberattacks, the Jerusalem Post reported.
In October an Israeli-affiliated hack group claimed it had hacked into Iranian oil infrastructure project management systems as well as communication systems throughout Lebanon.
A number of airports have asked Pen Test Partners to evaluate the security of their display boards, systems that are not infrequently left open to attack because of the absence of security controls.
Underlining the need for robust security in aviation-related systems, the cyberattack on Beirut's main international airport could easily have been far more disruptive.
This Cyber News was published on www.darkreading.com. Publication date: Mon, 08 Jan 2024 18:20:04 +0000