Eurocontrol Chooses Thales for Cybersecurity and Digitalisation of Air Traffic Services

With steady growth in air traffic, more competition and new environmental challenges, stakeholders in the air transport sector are going through a major transformation as they leverage digital technologies to share information more effectively. Eurocontrol has awarded Thales two contracts to strengthen the cybersecurity of its information systems and, in partnership with Cegeka, a Belgian company specialising in advanced information technologies, to support its continuing digital transformation.

Digital technologies are gaining traction in the air transport sector and have major implications for flight and passenger safety. Air traffic management is becoming increasingly data-driven, and this data needs to be fully protected. Eurocontrol, and in particular its Network Manager function responsible for the air traffic management network across 43 countries, has chosen Thales to protect its information systems from cyberthreats.

Thales is playing a leading role in the modernisation of the air transport sector, and systematically builds cybersecurity into the solutions it develops for all five of its main markets: aerospace, space, ground transportation, defence and security. To help Eurocontrol address the evolving cyberthreat landscape, one of Thales's five Cybersecurity Operations Centres (CSOCs) will provide 24/7 monitoring of the organisation’s IT infrastructure. Thales’s cyber detection and risk management services will enable Eurocontrol to anticipate risks, detect threats early and actively prevent attacks on its systems.

Training Eurocontrol's teams in cyber crisis management is also key to ensuring continuity of operations in the event of an incident. Thales will provide a range of tools and services to help Eurocontrol improve its cyber preparedness and protection. A central pillar of this value proposition is the Thales Cyberlab in Belgium, which will replicate Eurocontrol’s networks and IT systems with a high degree of realism to test their resilience to the most sophisticated forms of cyberattacks.

Under a separate contract, Thales will advise Eurocontrol on the development of "cyber-native" digital applications to optimise air traffic capacities and flows while maximising flight and passenger safety. Thales will work with Cegeka, a Belgian partner specialising in advanced information technologies, to co-develop innovative solutions with the organisation’s in-house teams in an advanced software development environment.

''Universal cyber best practice calls for sound, layered security defences. With their proven track record in IT, combined with their insider’s knowledge of ATM, we are confident that Thales can give us the service we need to protect the business we run for our aviation stakeholders.'' Eammon Brennan, Director General of Eurocontrol

''As the world embraces the digital transformation, cybersecurity is a key component of the systems our customers use today, especially in ground transportation and aerospace, where passenger safety is paramount. With the increase in cyber risks, these two contracts with Eurocontrol represent a major step forward in making Europe’s skies safer and a further example of the implications of the digital transformation for any large company or organisation.'' Laurent Maury, Vice President, Critical Information Systems and Cybersecurity, Thales

''As threats become ever more prevalent and sophisticated, organisations in sectors where safety and security are crucial are becoming increasingly data-driven. Thales provides innovative solutions to address the cybersecurity needs that are intrinsic to all new digital services and applications. These two contracts reflect Eurocontrol’s continued trust in Thales. The Thales centre of excellence in Belgium will draw on the Group's entire ecosystem of technology and service providers to support Eurocontrol in its transformation and help it to protect its sensitive data.'' Alain Quevrin, Country Director for Thales in Belgium