Airport Chaos Shows Human Impact of 3rd-Party Attacks

A cyberattack targeting Collins Aerospace’s MUSE software used for airport check-in and baggage tagging disrupted several European hubs over the weekend, with major venues such as Heathrow reporting issues that led to delays and some cancellations. According to an Associated Press report, MUSE operates kiosks that let passengers check in and print boarding passes, and the incident prompted ongoing flight disruptions into Monday.

Brussels Airport warned of continued cancellations and delays, with the AP noting nearly 140 flights were cancelled due to the attack. Heathrow acknowledged the incident in a Monday notice, while Berlin Brandenburg posted about longer wait times but did not report cancelled flights. As of Monday, it remained unclear who was behind the attack or the motive, though prior activity by the hacker collective Scattered Spider was mentioned in relation to other airline targets, not confirmed as the culprit in this case.

Anne Cutler of Keeper Security described the event as a reminder that cyber-risk affects real people and daily routines, underscoring the need for tight third-party risk and visibility into technology assets. September 22, 2025.