Title: Kelowna and Victoria Airports Experience Hacking Incident

KELOWNA — Kelowna International Airport and Victoria International Airport in British Columbia reported a hacking incident on Tuesday that affected their public information systems. The airports confirmed that unauthorized messages promoting pro-Hamas sentiments appeared on flight information screens and were broadcast over public announcement systems.

At Kelowna International Airport, some flights were delayed due to the incident. Screens displayed messages such as "Israel lost the war, Hamas won," along with derogatory remarks about former U.S. President Donald Trump. Videos shared on social media showed similar slogans being played over the airport's PA system.

Victoria International Airport also acknowledged the breach, stating that an "unauthorized audio message" was linked to a cloud-based software issue. Airport staff quickly shut down the broadcast.

Kelowna International Airport reported that the unauthorized messaging was removed by staff, who worked to restore the affected systems. An update posted at 10 p.m. on Tuesday indicated that the airport was addressing the situation, although it did not specify whether the delayed flights were directly related to the hack. On Wednesday morning, three flights were listed as delayed.

A group identifying itself as "Siberislam" claimed responsibility for the hacking incidents through messages displayed on the screens. Social media accounts associated with this group shared videos of the events.

Transport Canada is aware of the hacking incidents at both airports, as well as a similar occurrence at Windsor International Airport. The agency stated it is collaborating with federal security partners, including law enforcement, to ensure the safety and security of airport operations and to prevent future disruptions.

Phillip Elchitz, the director of operations and innovation at Kelowna International Airport, confirmed that a third party gained access to the flight information display system and the PA system. He noted that the PA system was restored within approximately 20 seconds, while it took a few minutes to remove the unauthorized images from the screens.

Elchitz emphasized the importance of understanding how the breach occurred and ensuring that any security vulnerabilities are addressed to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A spokesperson for Victoria International Airport clarified that only its PA system was compromised. The spokesperson explained that the loudspeakers utilize a cloud-based external system used by many airports worldwide. They confirmed that someone externally uploaded a file containing unauthorized audio content, which played for a few minutes before being stopped by the operations team. They also stated that there were no operational disruptions, delays, or cancellations as a result of the incident.