Israel and Boeing cooperating on cybersecurity for civil aviation

Collaboration includes sharing knowledge, identifying threats and developing solutions to protect civil aviation.

By Aryeh Savir, TPS

Israel’s National Cyber Directorate (INCD) and the U.S.-based Boeing multinational aviation corporation announced Monday that they will cooperate in the promotion of cyber defense for civil aviation.

The collaboration includes sharing knowledge, identifying threats, promoting understanding of risks and methodologies for reducing them, and developing solutions for the protection of civil aviation.

The INCD explained that the field of civil aviation is “characterized by many technological developments that produce new complexities and cyber challenges. These developments require preparation in advance for adequate cyber protection.”

As part of its efforts to promote “national and international moves to find cyber solutions,” the INCD signed a cooperation agreement with Boeing.

The agreement was signed by Gabi Portnoy, Head of the INCD, Boeing Israel President Maj. Gen. Edo Nehushtan, and Boeing Vice President and Chief Engineer of Product Security Brian Conley.

Boeing is considered the third largest security company in the world and the largest exporter in the U.S. The company manufactures and provides services for commercial aircraft, defense products, and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries.

Tamir Goren, Director of Technologies at the INCD, stated that more companies will “join the collective effort following the agreement. Only with a joint international effort will we be able to ensure cyber security in civil aviation.”

The agreement is part of Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority’s strategic plan to promote cyber defense capabilities for civil aviation, including Project Hercules to map threats to aviation and solutions and collaborate with leading manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus.

Israel is considered a global leader in the cybersecurity business and has developed advanced security protocols, as cyber-attacks on Israel have risen exponentially in the past several years, reaching up to two million attacks against Israeli targets daily.

Israel’s rise as one of the world’s leaders in cybersecurity has been boosted by cooperation between the military, government, education and private sectors, a level of partnership unmatched in the Western world.

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