Analysis of Aviation Security Risks and Mitigation in Australia

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of aviation security and the associated risks within Australia. It begins by emphasizing the strategic importance of the aviation industry and its vulnerability to various threats, including terrorism, cyber-attacks, and external events such as economic crises. The report highlights key risks such as illegal interference and terrorism, referencing specific incidents like the 9/11 attacks and the recent Melbourne incident, and explores the evolving strategies employed by terrorists. It then delves into risk mitigation strategies, including the role of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Australia's State Safety Program (SSP), while also acknowledging the challenges in universal application and the increasing role of biometric techniques. The report recommends proactive risk management and interstate coordination as crucial elements in reducing and addressing the threat of terrorism, concluding with a reiteration of the importance of strict adherence to regulations and international agreements to ensure aviation safety. The report includes references to relevant literature and legislation, such as the Aviation Transport Security Act 2004.

Running head: AVIATION SECURITY AND RISKS IN AUSTRALIA
Aviation Security and Risks in Australia
Student’s Name
Institution
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AVIATION SECURITY AND RISKS IN AUSTRALIA 2
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Australian Aviation Security and Risks...........................................................................................3
Risk Mitigation strategies................................................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
I must start by acknowledging the fact that the aviation industry is an important strategic
industry. It connects cities and continents. It is the engine of the global economy and is
characterized by a high intensity of scientific research. It is mostly independent of market
conditions and, at the same time, it is the pillar of the creation of added value and employment.
However, I must stress the fact that the only thing to keep in mind is that the aviation and travel
industries are industries where performance can quickly deteriorate. The global financial crisis of
Lehman shock caused demand airline business to drop sharply. Besides, the 9/11 terrorist attack
in the United States where aircraft hijacked by terrorists plunged into the World Trade Center,
and the Pentagon almost paralyzed the industry. Later, the Afghan War, the Iraq War, and the
war that the United States claimed to be "fighting terrorism" also had detrimental effects on the
aviation industry. In all these instances, people around the world hesitated to fly.
Australian Aviation Security and Risks
The key aviation security risk in Australia include illegal interference could be acts of
terrorism, sabotage, threat to life and property, communication of false threats, bombings, etc.
The recent attack, which took place on June 5 at Melbourne is a clear indication that terrorism is
among the top security risks facing the Australian aviation industry (Condon, 2019). Although
many of these problems are often short-term in nature, the frequency of these events means that
it is almost impossible to predict income accurately. The industry calls these risks "event risks."
While most aircraft accidents are the responsibility of the airline, terrorism, the economic crisis,
and the spread of illness are risks caused by external events. Events that can't be helped by one
airline alone can reduce salaries or cause restructuring. While airlines and travel agencies are

AVIATION SECURITY AND RISKS IN AUSTRALIA 4
dreams of a growing industry, they ought to be aware of such event risks and perhaps develop
contingency measures.
I established that the aviation industry is especially attractive to terrorists, as it is the most
vulnerable in comparison with others. Terrorist attacks, as a rule, are accompanied by
considerable casualties, often paralyze the activity of the most critical sectors of the economy,
cause a considerable resonance, destabilize the situation in society. One doesn’t have to go far
for examples. In neo-Nazi Michael James Holt, aged 26, was convicted for threatening to
conduct a mass shooting and considered Westfield Tuggerah as a target in 2017. Williams (2019)
revealed that 26 organizations are part ‘terrorist organizations’ under the Criminal Code of
Australia.
One aspect I must stress is that terrorist uses different strategies to attack. Bombs,
grenades, pistols have become coercive means used by modern air terrorists. They are aware of
their power: nothing serves as a demonstration of determination better than an explosive charge
in the hands of a reckless terrorist. Even still, the most significant external risk factor in civilian
aircraft, rather than aeroplanes, is, of course, hijacking. In addition to endangering the lives of
crew and passengers, there have been cases in which the aircraft is used as a means of attack. A
clear example is the 9/11 terrorist Attack (Condon, 2019).
Also, I found that modern terrorism is opting for cyber-attack as their secret attack
strategy. There are enough sources to suggest that a terrorist could hijack a plane from his
passenger seat, just with a computer. As crazy as this scenario may seem, the hypothesis has
gained weight in recent months over expert demonstrations. If these are to be believed, the
onboard electronics aircraft could indeed facilitate order taking by hackers and thus jeopardize
passenger safety (Doffman, 2019). At least, in theory, the techniques used to hijack an aircraft

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are, in fact twofold. Some hackers try to capture the data sent by the plane to enter its
communication system and then issue orders to the on-board computer. Others claim to connect
to the entertainment system (the screen on which passengers can watch films).
Risk Mitigation strategies
So far, several measures and policies are in place. Created by a Convention signed on
December 7, 1944, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) became in 1947 a
specialized agency of the United Nations. According to the research I did, the organization
initially offers a framework for harmonizing judicial cooperation in the repression of unlawful
acts committed against aviation activity. The extension of ICAO's normative capacity to the field
of safety is thus manifested in the promulgation of mandatory standards and recommended
practices, through provisions annexed to the Chicago Convention. Annex 17 sets out the
responsibilities of States, focusing on the organization of national administrative and technical
procedures, preventive security measures and the management of the response. Australia is one
of the first countries in the world to have a State Safety Program (SSP) consistent with ICAO's
requirements. It has one of the world's most respected aviation safety systems. SSP harmonizes
the policies and practices of its members. It also disseminates its standards to other regions of the
world. This more political approach seems to reflect a desire to position itself in relation to the
European Union in a field common to both organizations.
However, I found out that despite this constant evolution of the standards and practices
recommended by the ICAO, and the legally binding character under international law of these
instruments, it can be seen that their application is far from universal. Australia, in March 2012,
for example, relaxed the definition of what's considered a "prescribed air service," and, today,
95% of GA operations are not subject to TSP requirements. These relaxed TSP regulations are

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much less difficult for the GA community and cover far fewer activities. I realized that if the
argument invoked by the ICAO of the lack of coordination between States and international
organizations and the low level of technical competence of certain States in this field is
undoubtedly appropriate, it seems necessary to go beyond this state-centric vision of the
international organization. One can thus wonder whether the States still have the political means
to enforce these standards, in the sense that their grip on the private operators to which they have
delegated security is diminishing. This de-statization of security and the introduction of logic of
profit implies a radical change of perspective: the interests pursued by companies directly
financing security measures can diverge from those of a State operating a police force acting
theoretically for the common good.
Through the airports, checkpoints, cabin salons and pilot's cabs, the counter-terrorism
front passes. This process is not easy. According to American professor Mackenzie Ora, director
of the Terrorism and Aviation program, which is part of the World Aviation Safety Fund, “this is
a war that cannot be won, but cannot be lost.” The use of biometric techniques in the screening
of cross-border movements at airports is recommended by a growing number of aviation security
players, mainly in the name of higher reliability. Indeed, this practice is recommended to replace
badges for staff access to secure areas without posing any real problem. But its generalization
serves as an argument to justify the introduction of such controls on the passengers themselves
(Frinkel, 2016). In this case, it involves establishing biometric passports or identity cards for
passengers who agree to submit to a prior and unique security check or to have a fingerprint
printed on their tickets. The use that can be made of this information must also be analyzed.
Indeed, exceptional control measures are justified in the name of a significant threat to aviation
security and the prevention of terrorist acts (Sinai, 2017). However, there is always possible

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diversion for repressive purposes for minor crimes. This is due to increased traceability of
movements and enhanced possibilities of identifying individuals. Such cases raise the question of
the proportionality of the response to the threat (Chesney, 2012).
I also found out that specific methods for managing operational risks are determined by
the possibilities of eliminating the consequences of already occurring adverse events and
preventing or reducing the likelihood of their occurrence. The principles of responding to
realized risk situations are determined by retroactive monitoring, the laws of preventing or
counteracting the onset of risk situations are warning (proactive) risk management methods
(Taylor, Hayes and McComb, 2016).
Based on these findings, one of the recommendations I can give to companies and
agencies, directly and indirectly, involved with aviation is that they ought to adopt proactive risk
management. Proactive risk management methods require a preliminary analysis of security
threats and a high level of attention to any premises for incidents. Security monitoring is carried
out at various levels of corporate governance when implementing processes and solving
problems aimed at minimizing the likelihood of missing or mistakenly identifying a potential
threat. I also want to stress that the issue of terrorism can only be reduced or addressed through
concerted efforts among different states. Inter-state coordination is thus a basic recipe for
developing counter-terrorism measures.
Conclusion
To conclude, I want to stress the fact that ensuring reliability and safety is a priority for
each airline. All airline operations should be based on strict compliance with the rules enshrined
in Australia laws, international agreements, standards and recommended practices of ICAO and

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IATA, as well as internal regulatory documents. Some of the common laws are found in the
Aviation Transport Security Act 2004, Migration Act 1958,

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References
Alan B. (2010). Managing the Aviation Insider Threat. Master’s thesis, Naval Postgraduate
School
Chesney, R. (2012). Military-Intelligence Convergence and the Law of the Title 10/Title 50
Debate, Public Law and Legal Theory Research Paper Series. Austin, TX: University of
Texas School of Law
Condon, W. (2019). Lecture Presentation: Aviation Transport Security Regulations 2005
[PowerPoint Presentation]. Retrieved from Griffith University
Condon, W. (2019). Lecture Presentation: How Did 911 Hijackers Evade American Aviation
Security? [PowerPoint Presentation]. Retrieved from Griffith University
Condon, W. (2019). Lecture Presentation: Radicalization [PowerPoint Presentation]. Retrieved
from Griffith University
Doffman, Z. (2019). Israeli Cyber Prevented Etihad Airline Bombing And Multiple ISIS Attacks,
PM Says. Forbes. Retrieved from:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/07/01/etihad-airline-bombing-and-
multiple-isis-attacks-prevented-by-israeli-cyber-pm-says/#226ec057ae29
Frinkel, E. (2016). Critical Infrastructure Sector Battles Growing Variety of Security Threats.
Retrieved from: https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/87302-critical-infrastructure-
sector-battles-growing-variety-of-security-threats
McGinty, A. (2018). Four Challenges Facing Aviation Security. Security Management.
Retrieved from:
Sinai, J. (2017). Active threats against the Aviation sector: Terrorism, Active Shooters,
Workplace violence and ‘Insiders. Retrieved from:

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https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/87920-airport-security-active-shooter-insider-
threat-terrorism-and-protests
Taylor, F., Hayes, R. and McComb, R. (2016). Counterintelligence and Insider Threats: How
Prepared Is the Department of Homeland Security? Washington, DC: Department of
Homeland Security.
Williams, C. (2019). Terrorism in Australia in 2019: more of the same? ASPI. Retrieved from:
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/terrorism-in-australia-in-2019-more-of-the-same/