The Civil Aviation Insider Threat

Abstract

This article addresses the internal threat that threatens civil aviation. One or more persons with access to confidential information, expertise, through the exploitation of a security vulnerability may consequently lead to an act of unlawful interference. Threats against aviation change constantly in this interminable war against terrorism. Countermeasures developed to combat emergent threats will become obsolete as new threats appear. Therefore, it is imperative for security of civil aviation practitioners to stay ahead of their enemies by identifying potential threats—a task that requires imagination. The problem of internal threats depends on access to restricted areas of airports, where access to these areas is strictly controlled by security services. The starting point in the research procedure was the author’s analysis of the literature on the subject. In addition, both the talks with the practitioners of security services in the aviation organization and observation at airports, which allowed the author to formulate research goals, were not without significance.