"Aviation is proof that given the will,
we have the capacity to achieve the
impossible." - Eddie Rickenbacker
Well, Captain Rickenbacker probably wasn't thinking about ransomware when he said that, but here we are in 2025, where information security threats can ground planes faster than bad weather! That’s why we have come to a point where Information Security Awareness Training is a must and impacting all involved personnel. Therefore training will be essential and of highest important so we can spot the threats before they approach. Think of it as a digital safety demonstration, but instead of training SOP with oxygen masks and life vests, we're talking passwords and phishing emails.
Why Aviation Information Security Training Matters More Than Ever
Picture this: You’re at 35,000 feet, sipping a coffee, when suddenly the pilot announces, “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ll be making an unscheduled landing because our flight management system has been compromised by hackers.” Sounds like a movie plot? Unfortunately, it’s closer to reality than we’d like to admit.
Cyberattacks in aviation have surged—up 24% in recent years—and 55% of airlines faced ransomware incidents in the past 12 months. That makes aviation information security awareness training just as critical as maintenance checks or weather assessments.
This training must tackle risks head-on, ensuring every team member—whether in the cockpit, cabin, or ground operations—understands their role in protecting aviation systems and sensitive data.
Meet EASA Part-IS: Your New Digital Co-Pilot
Enter EASA Part-IS (Information Security), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s regulatory framework that is reshaping how aviation approaches cybersecurity and data protection. Think of Part-IS as the air traffic control system for information security—it coordinates, manages, and ensures every organization follows the same safety protocols to protect critical information.
Part-IS isn’t just another rulebook. It’s a comprehensive framework that treats information security as a safety-critical concern. It requires organizations to implement Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) and provide information security awareness training to all personnel—exactly what Scandlearn’s six-module online course delivers.
The strength of Part-IS lies in its practicality. It doesn’t just tell you to “be secure”—it provides a structured approach covering everything from risk assessment to incident response, making information security as routine as a pre-flight check.
So, what does aviation information security awareness training online actually look like? Scandlearn has built a proven framework that defines the essentials—and why each step matters.
Building the Digital Foundation (The CIA Triad – Not That CIA!)
Training begins with the fundamentals: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.
- Confidentiality: Keeping sensitive information private and accessible only to those who need it. In aviation, this includes everything from passenger manifests and crew rosters to cockpit access procedures. Breaches of confidentiality can lead to reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and in the worst cases, security threats.
- Integrity: Ensuring that information remains accurate and reliable. Imagine if a digital weather report was altered — even slightly — before a pilot made a decision. Or if maintenance logs were tampered with, hiding a recurring technical fault. Compromised integrity means decisions are made on bad information, with potentially dangerous outcomes.
- Availability: Making sure information and systems are available when needed. Even the most secure and accurate data is useless if it cannot be accessed in time. Availability failures can ground flights, delay operations, and undermine trust between airlines, airports, and passengers.
Information security isn't just an IT concern – it's a safety issue. When Los Angeles International Airport was hit by a DDoS attack in 2024, operations were disrupted—reminding us that information security is a direct safety issue.
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Navigating the Regulatory Landscape
Next comes understanding the rules of the game. EASA Part-IS isn’t just guidance—it’s law that carries real consequences.Training must cover competence requirements, responsibilities, and how information security links into safety management systems.
We explore how Part-IS connects to broader safety management systems, ensuring that information security measures enhance rather than hinder operational efficiency. Security procedures, when done right, should feel like a seat belt: protective, natural, and never restrictive.
Company Policies and Personal Accountability in Information Security Awareness Training
This is where regulation meets reality. Information security awareness training must explain how policies translate into daily behavior and personal responsibility:
- Why credentials must never be shared—even with good intentions. For example, Marcus in Ground Operations can’t use his login credentials to help a colleague access the loading system.
- How to spot phishing attempts when someone from “IT” calls asking for your password.
- How to handle confidential passenger or operational data securely, both online and offline.
Most breaches don’t come from shadowy hackers—they come from well-meaning employees who didn’t realize the impact of a single click. That’s why aviation information security awareness training needs to turn these rules into instinctive daily habits.
Practical Security Procedures (Where the Rubber Meets the Runway)
This part of the training is where theory must meet daily operations. It breaks down into three focused areas that every aviation professional needs to master:
Password Security and Access Controls
Let’s be honest—“Password123!” might feel quick and easy, but it’s also an open invitation for attackers. Strong, unique passwords are the first defense, and they don’t need to be impossible to remember. Training should walk through building credentials that can withstand brute force attacks without requiring a math degree.
Then comes multi-factor authentication (MFA). Think of MFA as the aviation equivalent of multiple safety checks—just as you wouldn’t sign off on a dispatch with one inspection, you shouldn’t rely on a single login step to secure critical systems.
Malware Protection and Safe Computing
Recent incidents, like the 8BASE ransomware attack on Saudia Technic or the Rhysida group’s attack on Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, show that malware isn’t just a nuisance—it’s an operational crisis waiting to happen.
Training must cover how to:
- Recognize malicious attachments or links.
- Follow safe email practices.
- Understand why strict software installation policies exist.
Even something as routine as clicking “Yes” on an update prompt carries risk—understanding when and how updates are safe is part of building secure habits.
Physical Security and Clear Desk Policies
In a digital-first world, it’s easy to forget the physical layer of security. Sensitive data still exists on paper, whiteboards, and open screens. That’s why a clear desk policy isn’t about tidiness—it’s about making sure flight plans, manifests, or maintenance records don’t fall into the wrong hands.
Practical measures include:
- Locking your screen whenever stepping away (even for a coffee).
- Controlling visitor access in operational areas.
- Securing printed documents and avoiding “shoulder surfing” by glancing at screens in shared spaces.
These simple, physical practices are as important as any digital safeguard.
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Incident Recognition and Reporting
Despite our best efforts, security incidents happen. Ransomware attacks rose 600% in one year, hitting airlines including Hawaiian Airlines, WestJet, and Qantas in June 2025. When an airline’s maintenance system suddenly shows work orders for another carrier’s fleet—that’s not a bug, it’s a breach.
Information security awareness training must help staff distinguish between routine glitches and real threats, while also providing clear reporting steps—without fear of blame. Training should cover practical reporting procedures: who to contact, what information to gather, and how to document incidents effectively.
Because when you’re dealing with a potential breach at 3 AM, instinct and preparation make the difference. That’s why embedding aviation information security awareness training into daily operations is critical—it ensures every employee knows exactly how to respond when every second counts.
Ongoing Competence and Support in Information Security Awareness Training
When building training, it’s important to emphasize that information security isn’t a destination but an ongoing journey. Threats evolve quickly, so defenses, awareness, and training must continuously adapt. Effective aviation information security awareness training should highlight both ongoing support resources and the broader goal of long-term resilience.
Real-World Wake-Up Calls
To make the risks real, training should include recent industry incidents that disrupted operations and damaged trust in aviation:
- CrowdStrike Chaos (July 2024): A faulty update triggered global IT outages, with Delta reporting $500M in losses—proof that even non-malicious failures can paralyze aviation.
- The Supply Chain Surprise: AerCap, a leading aircraft lessor, lost 1TB of data in a ransomware attack, showing how partner vulnerabilities quickly become your vulnerabilities.
- The Boeing Breach (2023): Even industry giants aren’t immune, proving that reputation and national security are always at stake.
Making Security Second Nature
The ultimate goal isn’t to turn aviation professionals into cybersecurity experts—we already have specialists for that. Instead, information security awareness training should make secure behavior instinctive:
- Locking a screen feels as natural as locking your car.
- Questioning an unexpected email feels as routine as double-checking fuel numbers.
- Reporting suspicious activity feels as automatic as reporting a safety hazard.
This culture shift—embedding aviation information security awareness training into everyday habits—is what truly protects the industry in the long run.
The Human Element in Information Security Awareness Training
Technology helps, but people remain the first line of defense. With 71% of breaches involving stolen credentials or unauthorized access, daily habits matter most. Every click, every password, every USB drive represents a potential security decision. Information security awareness training should ensure these decisions are informed, appropriate, and aligned with both regulatory requirements and operational needs.
Good practices should become instinctive:
- Lock your screen like you lock your car.
- Question emails like you double-check fuel calculations.
- Report suspicious activity as naturally as reporting a safety hazard.
Building these reflexes through aviation information security awareness training turns employees into proactive defenders—not just system users.
Building a Culture of Security Through Information Security Awareness Training
For training to succeed, learners must understand that information security isn’t just another regulation—it’s the next step in aviation’s deep commitment to safety. For decades, aviation has built a culture where maintenance, weather checks, and flight operations leave no room for shortcuts. Today, protecting digital information deserves that same unwavering attention.
This isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about protecting passengers, colleagues, and the trust the aviation system relies on. Just as no pilot would take off with an unresolved technical issue, no one in aviation can afford to overlook the digital risks that sit alongside physical ones.
When reinforced through aviation information security awareness training, security becomes second nature—woven into the same safety-first culture that has defined aviation for generations. This is how organizations build resilience, compliance, and long-term trust.
The Bottom Line on Aviation Information Security Awareness Training
The aviation industry currently sits at a “B” grade for information security. Yet organizations with strong awareness programs are nearly 3x less likely to suffer a breach.
That’s why we’ve built a complete aviation information security awareness training program based on EASA Part-IS. It combines regulatory compliance with real-world scenarios—designed to make secure behavior as natural as every other safety habit in aviation.
Choosing the right online information security awareness training course is no longer optional—it’s a regulatory requirement and a frontline defense. With Scandlearn’s interactive information security awareness training, crews don’t just pass a module—they build the instincts to spot, prevent, and report threats before they cause real damage. Compliance deadlines won’t wait. Neither should you.
Because in the end, the best safety equipment is still the same: a well-trained, safety-conscious professional.
Ready for Takeoff: Secure Aviation’s Digital Future
Information security awareness training isn’t about ticking boxes—it’s about protecting lives, operations, and the trust aviation relies on. With cyberattacks up 600% in a single year and EASA Part-IS deadlines approaching fast, the industry can’t afford to wait.
The digital revolution in aviation can only succeed if safety evolves with it. That means every professional—from ground crew to flight deck—must be ready to recognize threats and respond without hesitation.
This is the moment to act. Aviation has always been built on a safety culture where no detail is too small to protect lives. Now it’s time to extend that mindset to digital security and compliance.
So buckle up and take this seriously—your passengers, colleagues, and the entire aviation system are counting on you.
👉 Sign up today to get Scandlearn’s full Part-IS information package with all compliance dates and requirements—so your operation stays ahead, not behind.
