Airports, ports and tourism in general targeted by hackers: ENISA warns of growing cyber threats
Airports, ports and tourism are targets for hackers: ENISA warns of rising cyber threats. In a world where digital connectivity is the foundation of every passenger operation, new European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) report issues a serious warning: Airports, ports, and transport systems connected to tourism are increasingly becoming targets of cyberattacks.
Report ENISA Threat Landscape 2025 He analysed almost five thousand incidents across Europe between July 2024 and June 2025. The results show that transport, public administration and digital services among the most vulnerable sectors, while the most attacks are recorded precisely in the area air and sea transport.
Hackers are targeting the heart of tourism
Attacks on ports and airports not only threaten infrastructure but also tourism – a sector that depends on stable transit and passenger confidence.
One of the recent examples was an attack on a technology supplier Collins Aerospace, whose systems were used for passenger check-in at several European airports. By using stolen employee credentials, the hackers paralysed the systems and showed how vulnerable they are interconnected critical infrastructure.
Eye 80 percent of attacks had an ideological background, and among the most active are hacktivist groups targeting institutions and companies connected to the European Union. Such attacks often come in the form of DDoS, phishing campaign or supply chain attacks, where the compromise of one partner can affect the entire chain of tourism services.
Phishing and artificial intelligence as main attack weapons
This year's European Cybersecurity Month is dedicated precisely to Phishingu, the most common entry vector for attacks. ENISA states that nearly 60 percent of cyber incidents begin with phishing – from emails and SMS messages to attacks via QR codes and artificial intelligence.
And are increasingly being used deepfake technologies, which create a false identity or video message from a manager with the aim of defrauding employees. By the beginning of 2025, more than 80 percent of global social engineering cases It had elements generated by artificial intelligence.
New European rules bring greater responsibility
Directive NIS2, which has already been incorporated into national legislative frameworks, lays down stricter requirements for public and private entities who manage critical infrastructure – including transport systems.
Under the new rules, Responsibility for security is no longer just technical, but also management. Board members must personally ensure compliance with legislation and can be held responsible for failures in protection.
For airports, ports, but also their partners in tourism, this means that security is becoming a strategic priority, and not just an IT issue.
Tourism needs a culture of prevention
Experts warn that cybersecurity in tourism is not just technical data protection, but also Passenger trust survey. A successful attack can ruin a destination's reputation and disrupt traffic during peak season.
It is necessary to strengthen prevention culture – through employee education, test attack simulations, and the establishment of crisis plans.
„A company managing passenger or booking data should not think will to be meta, rather than when“experts point out.
Key messages for the tourism sector in the Southeast Europe region
- Employee education Being aware of threats like phishing and fake messages is crucial for the first line of defence.
- Partner risk assessment – from airports and carriers to hotel systems – must become part of every contract.
- Business continuity plan It is also needed in the case of a cyber-attack, just as with natural disasters.
- Transparent communication with guests Following the incident, it is crucial for maintaining trust.
How is digitalisation transforming travel, Cybersecurity is becoming the new pillar of sustainable tourism.
Southeastern Europe, with a growing number of airports, ports, and digital platforms, must take this matter seriously.
Because every attack on the transport system or booking is no longer just a technical problem – it is attack on the trust, reputation, and stability of tourism.
Tragento will continue to follow this topic through brief analyses, in order for the region's tourism sector to remain safe, informed and resilient to digital threats.
