AIBU to think British Airways has had a (Russian) cyber attack?

[Pinotpleasure]

I’ve been unable to get onto www.ba.com

I’ve just heard on the radio that the airline’s computer systems are down, Terminal 5 is in chaos and agents are having to manually check passengers in.

Bearing in mind that Aeroflot has been banned from UK airspace (and private planes with Russian owners/passengers also now banned), is it likely that the Russians have made a cyber attack on British Airways?

[quote Teeturtle]@Galena92

That sounds so strange to me. I live in the states and have been taking my shoes off at airports since 2001

We all did for a little while in 2001 but most of the world stopped doing this about twenty years ago. 🙂[/quote]
I must have imagined it happening on about 90% of flights I've ever taken in the last two decades then

[quote Teeturtle]@Galena92

That sounds so strange to me. I live in the states and have been taking my shoes off at airports since 2001

We all did for a little while in 2001 but most of the world stopped doing this about twenty years ago. 🙂[/quote]
It depends on which type of scanners they have generally.

As I said I did this in England and in Jamaica just last week.

Previously at some uk airports, such as Heathrow, it's been shoes that have thicker soles that have had to come off, such as boots and trainers.

@ABitBesotted

I think we can orchestrate our own fuckups perfectly well

Yes, quite.

I don’t know why pp have responded with such derision to OP’s question. BA is a major global British brand and would be an obvious target for a foreign power. Even if their systems are already poor and prone to outages that doesn’t mean there hasn’t also been a cyber-attack.

@ThanksItHasPockets

I don’t know why pp have responded with such derision to OP’s question. BA is a major global British brand and would be an obvious target for a foreign power. Even if their systems are already poor and prone to outages that doesn’t mean there hasn’t also been a cyber-attack.

Probably because BA always seem to have problems.

It's also unhelpful fear mongering to constantly leap to the "Russian Cyber Attack" conclusion when you have absolutely no proof of it.

I think lots of people aren't asked to take shoes off because their experience is summer holiday flights and they are wearing sandals or something flimsy. A domestic flight in February is far more likely to see someone wearing shoes that require removal.

It's not fear-mongering to acknowledge that cyberattacks are a known strategy of the Russian state (and in turn of the hacker groups who are working on reprisals). Anyone who works in systems and IT for major companies and government knows that they have been on high alert for cyberattacks for weeks.

There will never be proof because it will be denied by both sides. If snorting with derision at a perfectly reasonable hypothesis is pp's coping strategy for the current situation then I wish you all good luck.

I work in cybersecurity and I can confirm that Russians are badass at cyber warfare.

Just their system being shit. Had two hours sleep, up at 03:00 to get to Heathrow for a horribly early flight......which was cancelled. All short haul flights cancelled. BA staff at airport just handing out cards with numbers - call the number and it tells you to email them.......
Cannot get through on phone at all to them to try and sort out the shambles of my holiday they have made, can't seem to speak to car hire company at weekend either, will lose money on hotel and days of holiday. I know this is extremely first world problems at any time and particularly now but thanks a bunch BA for mucking up my much longed for holiday.

But this doesn't seem to be one

@ThanksItHasPockets

There will never be proof because it will be denied by both sides. If snorting with derision at a perfectly reasonable hypothesis is pp's coping strategy for the current situation then I wish you all good luck

Fair point but please forgive those of us with long memories and 24/7/365 experience of using/interfacing with BAs IT if we carry on with the snorting/use the aforementioned Occam’s razor.

BTW I haven’t got access to UK TV ATM….can anybody tell me if the current CEO has been seen on the screens wearing the hi-viz vest of office yet, or did that get scrapped along with the previous incumbent?

I took my shoes off two weeks ago at Gatwick. People really do spout some rubbish on here.

We're a couple of days in to a major conflict and BA is a global British brand. I'd say Occam's razor in this situation is an equal likelihood of cyberattack or crappy systems, plus the third possibility of both at the same time!

There will never be proof because it will be denied by both sides. If snorting with derision at a perfectly reasonable hypothesis is pp's coping strategy for the current situation then I wish you all good luck.

Well in that case we can just say anything can we? We could just make anything up and claim it plausible, because both sides will deny it.

What we can do, is look and know that historically BA have had these issues before. And not jump to conclusions assume it must be Russia.

The virgin money app often has problems around the end of the month. If it has problems on Monday, it wouldn't be probable that is was Russia. Nor would be sensible to start assuming it could be. Or saying it's that it definitely could be because no one would say.

Its likey its same issues they have all the time.

@ThanksItHasPockets

It's not fear-mongering to acknowledge that cyberattacks are a known strategy of the Russian state (and in turn of the hacker groups who are working on reprisals). Anyone who works in systems and IT for major companies and government knows that they have been on high alert for cyberattacks for weeks.

There will never be proof because it will be denied by both sides. If snorting with derision at a perfectly reasonable hypothesis is pp's coping strategy for the current situation then I wish you all good luck.

We know the Russians use cyber attacks.

But it's still not helpful to anyone to claim every bit of technology failing is down to the Russians.

BA have shit systems - it's been going on for decades. Could it be a cyber attack? Well, of course, but it's still unhelpful fear mongering to claim it is without any actual proof.

Why does everyone have to jump on the "worst case scenario" bandwagon all the time?

OK. I’m just going to draw your attention to the joint briefing on cyber security issued jointly by the US and UK intelligence services on the matter:

www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/23/russia-hacking-malware-cyberattack-virus-ukraine

and then I am going to leave you to your Saturday.

@ThanksItHasPockets

OK. I’m just going to draw your attention to the joint briefing on cyber security issued jointly by the US and UK intelligence services on the matter:

www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/23/russia-hacking-malware-cyberattack-virus-ukraine

and then I am going to leave you to your Saturday.

You mean this bit

The agencies added that their statement was a “routine advisory” not directly linked to the situation in Ukraine.

Again, no one has said it can never happen. Simply that, when there's a know history of IT issues, is far more likely to be that. And that jumping to conclusions like this, helps no one.

If everytime something happens people shout 'oh I think its Russia' is ridiculous.

With their track record, it was probably the cleaner unplugging something to switch on the hoover.

If it is a cyber attack, probably won't know for a few more days anyway.

If it was Russia then it is quite funny that an intended attack on a major British icon, designed to damage their international reputation and cause panic, has resulted in a nation shrugging and assuming that it is just down to BA’s notoriously wobbly systems.

BA are shit, I would fly easyjet over them any day. They've said on the BBC that it wasn't a cyber attack and was just their crappy systems (well they didn't use the term 'crappy systems' but.....).

It probably has been but this is a war of information now so they will keep saying it hasn’t.

[quote Teeturtle]@Galena92

That sounds so strange to me. I live in the states and have been taking my shoes off at airports since 2001

We all did for a little while in 2001 but most of the world stopped doing this about twenty years ago. 🙂[/quote]
No.

Most of the world has continued shoe screening. The places that stopped have either bought more sophisticated scanning systems or have a significantly different risk profile.

After an initial flurry of ‘all shoes off’ following the shoe bomber incident, some countries and airports became more selective. You can’t hide much in the average pair of flat sandals but the heel of trainers could be surprisingly roomy, as can men’s dress shoes.

Also, some shoes contain a metal shank that would set off a metal detector. If security think you might be wearing something like that, they will ask you to remove your shoes. It means that they are less likely to need to frisk you and saves everyone time and hassle.

Don't know if it's the Kremlin but my niece has had to drive to Scotland rather than fly. Tickets booked yonks ago.

Dh flying with easyjet tonight (from UK destination to UK destination). Had to take his shoes off for security. That hasn't happened before!

Was the last time he flew in 2000? Because they’ve been taking shoes of at airports for 20 years now.

[quote Teeturtle]@Galena92

That sounds so strange to me. I live in the states and have been taking my shoes off at airports since 2001

We all did for a little while in 2001 but most of the world stopped doing this about twenty years ago. 🙂[/quote]
I always keep hoping we can stop, because my feet are so ugly, and it’s so awkward putting shoes back on with security yelling at you to hurry. I have also been pulled out of line for a bit more invasive search (basically female agent checking thru my clothes) I try to believe it’s for the greater good 😊