The ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats has raised concerns about the resilience of critical infrastructure, including the aviation sector. As a result, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) introduced new cybersecurity requirements on March 7, 2023. These requirements apply to all TSA-regulated airports and aircraft operators, aiming to enhance cyber resilience and protect vital transportation networks.
New TSA Cybersecurity Requirements: A Comprehensive Approach to Aviation Security
The TSA’s new cybersecurity requirements mandate that airports and aircraft operators develop an implementation plan outlining specific measures to enhance cybersecurity resilience, prevent operational disruption, and protect infrastructure. These measures include four key areas:
Network Segmentation: Safeguarding OT and IT Systems
Network segmentation is a critical component of the new TSA requirements. By segregating operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) systems, airports and airlines can ensure that a compromise in one system does not affect the other. This separation reduces the risk of threat propagation and helps maintain system integrity in the face of attacks.
Access Control: Protecting Critical Cyber-Systems
Effective access control measures are essential for securing critical cyber systems. Establishing role-based access and integrating it with existing security infrastructure can help prevent unauthorized access to critical systems and minimize the security risk of unauthorized access to physical and logical systems.
Continuous Monitoring and Detection: Staying Ahead of Cybersecurity Threats
Continuous monitoring and detection of threats and anomalies are crucial for maintaining a proactive security posture. Advanced behavioral analytics and machine learning can help identify potential threats before they cause significant damage, enabling organizations to stay ahead of evolving cybersecurity risks.
Patch Management: Mitigating Risks from Unpatched Systems
Timely application of security patches and updates is essential for reducing the risk of exploitation of unpatched systems. Implementing a risk-based methodology for patch management can help aviation organizations prioritize remediation efforts and ensure that critical systems remain up-to-date and secure.
Addressing the New TSA Requirements with Armis Solutions: Empowering Aviation Organizations
Armis is uniquely positioned to help aviation organizations meet these new requirements and ensure robust security. Armis offers comprehensive solutions to help airports and airlines meet the new TSA cybersecurity requirements. Our approach focuses on leveraging the power of the Armis platform to address the unique challenges of the aviation sector. Critical aspects of our solutions include:
Comprehensive Asset Visibility and Management: Building a Strong Foundation
Complete visibility into all connected assets is crucial for ensuring critical infrastructure security. Armis offers automatic discovery and inventory capabilities, providing aviation organizations with a comprehensive understanding of their IT, OT, and IoT devices. This deep visibility enables organizations to fully identify everything in their environment, implement appropriate security controls, and maintain compliance with TSA requirements.
Secure Access Control: Ensuring Only Authorized Access
Armis enables aviation organizations to implement robust, granular access control measures that align with TSA requirements. Granular, role-based access control is critical for securing critical systems in aviation organizations. Armis integrates with existing security infrastructure, allowing organizations to control who has access to critical systems. This comprehensive access control approach helps organizations maintain compliance with TSA requirements and reduces the risk of unauthorized access to critical systems.
Network Segmentation and Policy Enforcement: Isolating Critical Systems
Armis helps aviation organizations create and enforce network segmentation policies that protect critical systems. By providing comprehensive visibility into connected assets and their communications, Armis can recommend network segmentation policies that are automatically enforced via existing firewalls and network access control (NAC) solutions. This ensures critical systems are isolated from potential threats, enhancing overall cybersecurity resilience.
Continuous Monitoring and Threat Detection: Staying Vigilant Against Threats
Continuous monitoring of the environment is essential for staying ahead of cybersecurity threats in the aviation sector. Armis offers advanced capabilities that enable organizations to assess their overall risk and detect & respond to potential threats in real time.
By leveraging the power of the Armis Asset Intelligence Engine, TSA-regulated airports, and aircraft operators can quickly identify and respond to potential threats and vulnerabilities, ensuring compliance with the emergency requirements and safeguarding critical infrastructure.
Patch and Vulnerability Management: Keeping Systems Up-to-date and Secure
Armis helps aviation organizations automate identification and remediation of vulnerabilities across all connected assets. With customizable risk scoring, organizations can prioritize remediation efforts based on the unique risks posed by each vulnerability. This ensures that systems are up-to-date and secure, complying with TSA requirements and mitigating the risk of exploitation.
Also, by offering prioritization of mitigation efforts by business criticality, Armis enables organizations to understand the risk each vulnerability poses to their unique environment so remediation efforts can be prioritized accordingly. This approach helps aviation organizations comply with TSA requirements while driving cyber resilience across their critical operations and infrastructure.
Closing Thoughts: A Trusted Partner for Aviation Cybersecurity
In an increasingly interconnected world, the aviation industry faces significant cybersecurity challenges. As a trusted partner to airports and airlines, Armis is dedicated to helping aviation organizations navigate the complexities of the new TSA cybersecurity requirements and strengthen their overall security posture.
Our comprehensive portfolio of products and services, backed by our industry expertise, enables aviation organizations to implement the necessary security measures to protect their critical infrastructure and maintain compliance with TSA requirements. By partnering with Armis, Airports and Airline operators can confidently address today’s cybersecurity challenges and stay prepared for tomorrow’s evolving threats.
Armis stands ready to support the aviation sector’s journey toward enhanced cybersecurity resilience. Contact our team of experts to learn how Armis can help your organization meet the TSA’s new cybersecurity requirements and optimize your overall security strategy.
As a global leader in cybersecurity, Armis is committed to securing critical infrastructure across all sectors. By providing comprehensive solutions that address the unique challenges of the aviation industry, we empower organizations to safeguard their operations and ensure the safety and security of their passengers, employees, and assets. Together, we can build a more resilient and secure aviation ecosystem, ready to face the evolving threats of the future.
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