MAHB Denies Cyberattack Caused Airport Disruption That Stranded Passengers
A source said the attack caused operational disruptions at KLIA on Sunday, 23 March.
A cyberattack targeted Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Sunday, 23 March, allegedly causing operational disruptions that affected flights and left thousands of passengers stranded
According to the New Straits Times, a source said the attack occurred in the early hours of the morning, rendering the airport's flight information display boards, check-in counters, and baggage handling systems inoperable.
As a result, airlines and airport staff had to switch to manual operations, leading to flight delays throughout the day.
Another source noted that flight display boards remained intermittently down for the next two days before being fully restored.
"However, authorities have yet to confirm the nature of the attack or identify the parties responsible.
"The situation was further complicated by the absence of a robust backup system, which slowed recovery efforts," the source added.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) and the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) confirmed that the cybersecurity attack affected certain computer systems at KLIA on Sunday.
However, they stated that operations at KLIA were not impacted.
In a statement on Tuesday, 25 March, MAHB and NACSA said a comprehensive investigation was launched immediately to assess the nature and extent of the incident.
NACSA chief executive Ir Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin said, "We have been following the developments closely since receiving Malaysia Airports' report on 23 March. We understand that the operations at KLIA are not impacted, and will continue to monitor the situation and support Malaysia Airports."Meanwhile, MAHB managing director Datuk Mohd Izani Ghani assured that maintaining smooth airport operations remains a priority. "We are working with our airport partners to ensure that flight operations and passenger processing continue to operate normally," he said.
They assured that technical and operational teams are monitoring the situation and implementing necessary measures to safeguard KLIA's infrastructure and maintain a seamless passenger experience.
Image via @BernamaTV (X)
Image via @BernamaTV (X)
In a statement to SAYS on Wednesday, 26 March, MAHB general manager of corporate communications Shukreen Ma also denied claims that the cyberattack caused operational disruptions
"There has been no disruption of flights at KLIA, and there are no passengers stranded at the airport. We continue to focus on ensuring that operations are running smoothly," she said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he refused to comply with the demands of the cyberattackers:
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