Dedicated IT link to check cyber attack at Kolkata airport

KOLKATA: Authorities at Kolkata airport have decided to segregate the IT network that connects critical passenger facilities like airline check-in terminals and flight information display system boards to insulate it from a cyber attack similar to the one that had crippled services for nine and a half hours on Monday.
A spoofing is suspected to have spread the malware that bypassed network access controls, released unwanted data that clogged the core switches in the main data centre and triggered the local area network shutdown (LAN).“We have decided to set up a separate and dedicated IT network directly connected with SITA’s passenger processing facility at the check-in counters ,” Kolkata airport director Kaushik Bhattacharjee said.
Though the airport network infrastructure that comprises many separate networks such as ticketing kiosks and security cameras connected via an Ethernet network has built-in firewalls to prevent outside threat, the need for a review comes in the wake of Monday's developments.
An IT team from Delhi flew down to Kolkata on Tuesday to scrutinise the problem, identify possible vulnerable areas and suggest remedies to prevent a failure again.
“The system at Kolkata airport has comprehensive layered security. We are reviewing the robustness of the system to ensure that devices and users are protected from cyber attacks and data breaches,” an IT specialist said.
The setting up of a dedicated IT network for critical processes is among the recommendations submitted by the team on Friday.
While this action will take time, the IT team at the airport has already put in place an automated fault-diagnostic tool for instant fault detection. On Monday, it had taken a team of 40 techies over nine hours of rigorous trouble-shooting to identify and isolate the problem from 5,000-plus end points spread across the entire terminal building.
In the long run, the team has suggested the establishment of a fresh IT data centre and redesigning of the IT network based on futuristic IT trend. Sources said a global IT consultant could also be appointed to design the new data centre.