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The Azerbaijan Cybersecurity Center, operating under the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA), organized a cybersecurity awareness training for senior executives of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), one of the companies of AZCON Holding, as part of the “CyberCollab” project. The initiative was conducted in collaboration with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Over 50 senior executives from AZAL participated in the training.
Speaking at the event, Shahin Aliyev, Deputy Chairman of IDDA, discussed the risks of cyberattacks in the aviation sector. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that executives in this field are well-prepared for cyberattacks and highlighted the significance of conducting cybersecurity training in this regard.
The event continued with sessions delivered by experts from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. During these training sessions, participants were familiarized with risk mapping based on real aviation data breaches, the protection of critical information, and the actions executives should take in the event of a breach. In a real cyberattack scenario, the impact of the attack on flight operations, reservation systems, and passenger communication channels was assessed. Senior executives worked on real-world decision-making scenarios to establish priorities for system recovery during an attack, ensure service continuity, and address other critical issues.
During the sessions, a detailed analysis was conducted on real examples of fraud attacks targeting executives, which could lead to significant financial and reputational losses. Participants were provided with recommendations on strengthening internal procedures to mitigate such risks.
In a session covering both the opportunities and risks created by artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity, executives were introduced to AI-based defense systems. They also learned about the strategic preparatory steps needed to enhance the organization's resilience against AI-powered attacks.
During the team-based simulation, executives applied their skills in real-time decision-making, communication, and crisis management processes in the event of a cyber incident.
The event concluded with a roundtable discussion featuring speakers and the presentation of research findings related to the aviation sector.
It is worth noting that the primary goal of the training was to strengthen the operational decision-making skills, awareness, and strategic preparedness of the executive team in the face of increasing cybersecurity risks in the aviation industry.
It is worth noting that since its establishment, the Azerbaijan Cybersecurity Center has organized cybersecurity awareness training for nearly 200 senior executives. The training sessions have included leaders from the Ministry of Agriculture, subordinate agencies of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, as well as executives from organizations in the FinTech sector and the oil and gas industry.
