A man in his 40s has been arrested in West Sussex following an alleged cyber attack that caused disruption at several major airports, including Heathrow, over the weekend.
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed the suspect was detained on Tuesday on suspicion of offences under the Computer Misuse Act. He has since been released on conditional bail.
The attack reportedly targeted systems operated by Collins Aerospace, a company that provides check-in and boarding services for a number of airlines worldwide. The disruption was felt at London Heathrow, as well as airports in Brussels and Berlin, with passengers facing delays to travel.
Deputy Director Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, described the arrest as a “positive step” but stressed the investigation was still at an early stage.
He said: “Cybercrime is a persistent global threat that continues to cause significant disruption to the UK. Alongside our partners here and overseas, the NCA is committed to reducing that threat in order to protect the British public.”
The NCA said its enquiries are continuing in collaboration with international partners.
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