Three Canadian airports—Windsor, Ont., Kelowna, and Victoria, B.C.—and two U.S. airports briefly experienced a cybersecurity breach on Tuesday, during which flight-information screens and public-address systems broadcast pro-Hamas messages criticizing Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Transport Canada confirmed it is coordinating with local police to investigate the incident and ensure no impact on airport safety.
How the Hack Happened
Kelowna International Airport CEO Sam Samaddar said the attack exploited vulnerabilities in the third-party cloud software used for screens and announcements. The same weakness affected the other Canadian airports, as well as one in Oregon and Pennsylvania.
Two domestic flights in Kelowna were delayed, but the airport’s IT team quickly shut down the system within minutes. Officials emphasized that the threat was “non-specific” and did not target aviation operations.
Nature of the Messages
The hacked messages, posted on airport screens, read:
“Israel lost the war; Hamas won the war honorably. You are a pig, Donald Trump.”
Images of militants and Prime Minister Netanyahu were also crudely photoshopped around the text. The breach was linked to a social media account celebrating coverage of the incident.
Cybersecurity Experts Weigh In
Experts described the incident as a stunt rather than a serious attack, noting no ransom demands. David Shipley, CEO of Beauceron Security, likened it to “cyber graffiti” and criticized the reliance on local police and RCMP detachments to handle global cyber threats.
The Canadian Center for Cyber Security has previously warned that state-sponsored actors, particularly from China, pose significant risks to Canada’s critical infrastructure.
Middle East Ceasefire
The hack comes shortly after a ceasefire brokered by former U.S. President Trump between Israel and Hamas, which led to the return of 20 Israeli hostages and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
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