New cyber security centre at Havel Airport

Havel Airport has launched a new cyber security centre designed to protect the Prague-based airport’s infrastructure from cyber attacks and to prevent the misuse of airport information systems.

The centre is able to complete monitoring of internal IT systems and all operations performed in order to detect threats, with its 24-hour running time meaning action are immediate and of an appropriate response.  

Prague Airport has invested CZK 13 million in the development of the centre, including construction modifications to the new workplace and technical support. There are several layers of security involved with the new system. These are monitoring, detection, evaluation and subsequent blocking.

Every year, Prague Airport invests CZK 40 million in the protection of its critical information systems, including the purchase and operation of technology and personnel costs.

The airport has also said they are prepared to offer cyber resilience for other revolutionary projects such as biometrics, autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence.

Vaclav Rehor, chairman of the Airport’s board of directors, said: “The complete safety of passengers and air traffic is our absolute priority. Threats to important airport information systems can lead to serious disruption to traffic, affecting both staff and passengers. This is the reason we pay special attention to cybersecurity. Launching the new operational centre, we have therefore decided not to use the services of external entities, but to build our own highly specialised workplace with a dozen internal information analysts and experts in cybersecurity. Thanks to the staff, top technical equipment, set security processes and the detection and prevention tools used, the Prague Airport Cyber Security Operational Centre is one of the most advanced workplaces of its kind in the Czech Republic.”