Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the aerospace industry, driving smarter flight systems, autonomous operations, and predictive maintenance. But as AI becomes more deeply embedded in safety-critical technologies, it also opens the door to a new wave of cyber threats. During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it’s a timely reminder that malicious actors are now leveraging AI to launch faster, more sophisticated attacks that traditional defenses struggle to keep up with. In this evolving landscape, it’s even more crucial that organizations are bulletproofing their platforms and systems from development to deployment and long-term sustainment.
AI Fuels Cyber Threats
As AI becomes a cornerstone of aerospace innovation, it’s also reshaping the cybersecurity landscape. The same capabilities that enable autonomous systems, predictive analytics, and real-time decision-making are now being weaponized by adversaries. This isn’t just an evolution of cyber risk; it’s a fundamental shift.
How AI is Weaponized Against the Aerospace Industry
AI-Powered Credential Attacks
Credential compromise remains one of the most common attack vectors in aviation, with Thales reporting that more than 70% of incidents between January 2024 and April 2025 involved stolen or abused credentials. Increasingly, attackers are deploying machine-learning models to optimize brute-force campaigns by adjusting strategies dynamically, making credential-stuffing and password-guessing far more effective. In an industry where pilot, engineer, and ATC accounts are high-value targets, the risk posed by AI-driven credential attacks is especially severe.
Deepfake Technology
In June 2025, the FBI reported that the cybercriminal group Scattered Spider turned its focus to the aviation and transportation industries. The group uses AI-generated deepfake audio and video to impersonate employees or contractors, deceiving IT help desks into granting access. By mimicking trusted insiders with near-perfect accuracy, attackers bypass technical safeguards and walk straight through the human gatekeepers of critical systems.
Zero-Day Exploit Discovery
In October 2023, Boeing confirmed it was the target of a massive cyberattack after the LockBit ransomware group demanded a $200 million payout. The attackers claimed they had exploited a zero-day vulnerability to gain access, though Boeing has not publicly validated that detail. The incident disrupted parts and distribution operations but did not impact flight safety, according to the company. Even without confirmation of the zero-day claim, the case highlights how quickly unknown vulnerabilities can be weaponized against aerospace leaders, bypassing conventional defenses and putting critical systems at risk.
Adaptive & Evasive Malware
In September 2025, ransomware crippled Collins Aerospace systems and disrupted check-in operations across major European airports. The attack, linked to the HardBit strain, reinfected networks even after cleanup efforts, showing how modern malware adapts in real-time to resist containment. By mutating to avoid detection and embedding itself deeper with each cycle, this new generation of malware forces defenders into a prolonged chase they can’t easily win.
These evolving threats show how quickly attackers are adapting with AI, exploiting vulnerabilities that traditional defenses can’t contain. What’s at stake isn’t just data, but the trust, safety, and continuity of global aerospace operations.
Who’s Behind the Threats
Aerospace organizations face threats from actors at every level of sophistication.
As Daniel Diessner, executive director of Embry-Riddle’s Center for Aerospace Resilient Systems (CARS), emphasizes, the profile of cybercriminals is remarkably broad — from bored teenagers and ideologically motivated “hacktivists” to state actors and highly professional cybercriminal syndicates.
“They’re looking for any information they can use either against the person or organization or for monetary gains,” Diessner said. “It’s a multi-trillion-dollar business worldwide – you can buy targeted cyberattacks online through the dark web – it’s just scary how easy it is.”
This reality underscores the need for aerospace organizations to think beyond isolated threats. They are defending against a full spectrum of adversaries, each with distinct capabilities and motivations, and many are now equipped with AI tools that make them faster, stealthier, and harder to detect.
Engineering Confidence Across Aerospace and Defense
In today’s aerospace environment, where cyber threats are escalating alongside regulatory demands, organizations need trusted expertise. Performance delivers that expertise across commercial and business aviation, advanced air mobility (AAM), defense, and space, helping customers build platforms that are secure, safe, and reliable from the start.
In software development, we provide full-lifecycle DO-178C engineering services, bringing 25+ years of experience, 500+ successful avionics programs, and deep expertise across all Design Assurance Levels. From requirements and architecture to coding, integration, verification, and certification support, our teams ensure security is embedded at every stage.
Our hardware engineers provide full-lifecycle DO-254 development services, specializing in advanced printed circuit board (PCB), field programmable gate array (FPGA), and custom systems. Designed and tested to DO-160 and DO-254 standards, every component is engineered with the reliability, traceability, and security needed to pass certification and withstand real-world threats.
With Performance Data Loading solutions, customers can streamline software updates and data transfers, a critical but often overlooked part of long-term sustainment. We offer two secure solutions: a certified onboard client/server implementation and a hardware-independent Lab/Field Loader. Both are ARINC-615A compliant, enabling high-speed, reliable transfers that align with modern avionics standards.
Across software, hardware, and data loading, Performance gives aerospace organizations the confidence that their platforms are protected, compliant, and mission-ready.
Connect with us today to see how we can help safeguard your next program.
