UK Police Arrest Man Over Hack That Crippled European Airports

British police have arrested a man in his 40s as part of an investigation into a ransomware attack that knocked airport check-in systems offline across Europe and caused widespread travel disruption.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed on Wednesday that the suspect was detained on Tuesday on suspicion of offences under the Computer Misuse Act. He has since been released on conditional bail while inquiries continue.

“Although this arrest is a positive step, the investigation into this incident is in its early stages and remains ongoing,” said Paul Foster, NCA Deputy Director.

The hack targeted Collins Aerospace, a unit of RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies), disrupting airport operations in several European cities, including Berlin. BER airport said it could take several more days before secure and fully functioning systems are restored.

It remains unclear which criminal group was behind the attack. Unlike many ransomware gangs, none has yet claimed responsibility on dark web “leak sites” where stolen data is often published.

Ransomware attacks involve cybercriminals encrypting a company’s data and demanding payment for its release. While gangs typically avoid targets likely to trigger aggressive law enforcement responses, the Collins Aerospace attack is the latest in a series of cyber incidents in Europe with significant offline fallout.

Earlier this week, Jaguar Land Rover, Britain’s largest carmaker owned by Tata Motors, said it was extending the closure of its factories until October 1 after a separate hack paralysed its operations and left smaller suppliers struggling.

The European aviation sector remains on high alert as investigators work to identify those responsible and strengthen protections against further attacks.

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