A pro-Hamas message appeared on multiple screens at several Canadian airports after hackers breached their systems. The cyberattack caused short delays for a few flights in Kelowna, Victoria, and other locations. The Guardian
Three Canadian airports faced a brief but alarming cyberattack on Tuesday after hackers broke into flight-information screens and announcement systems to display a pro-Hamas message criticizing Israel, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The affected airports were Windsor, Ontario, and the British Columbia cities of Kelowna and Victoria, according to Transport Canada. Two U.S. airports in Oregon and Pennsylvania also reported similar intrusions.
Federal authorities said they are working with local police to ensure operations remain safe and to prevent future breaches. “There was no impact on flight safety or passenger security,” Transport Canada confirmed.
Local police departments in the three Canadian cities declined to comment, while the RCMP has yet to release further information on the investigation.
Ceasefire Context
The cyberattack came less than a week after a ceasefire deal brokered by President Trump between Israel and Hamas. The agreement led to the release of 20 Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, adding political tension across global digital platforms.
Hack Exploited Third-Party Software
Sam Samaddar, CEO of Kelowna International Airport, said the hackers gained access through a third-party cloud system used to manage both digital screens and public announcements.
He confirmed the same vulnerability affected the other two Canadian airports and both U.S. locations. “It wasn’t a targeted attack on aviation,” Samaddar said. “We quickly shut down the system, and operations remained safe.”
The hack began around 5:15 p.m. local time. While two domestic flights were delayed, Samaddar said the airport’s IT team neutralized the system within minutes.
At Victoria International Airport, staff also shut down their system immediately after the messages appeared. Windsor International Airport officials declined to comment.
Offensive Message Displayed
Screens at the affected airports displayed the message:
“Israel lost the war, Hamas won the war honourably. You are a pig, Donald Trump.”
The message appeared over crude, doctored images of Hamas militants and Netanyahu. A social media account claiming responsibility for the attack later celebrated media coverage of the incident.
Cyber experts said the hack was likely a publicity stunt rather than a coordinated political attack.
Experts Warn of Weak Defences
Cybersecurity experts warn that Canada’s public systems remain soft targets for hackers because of outdated infrastructure and limited policing capacity.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security says state-backed hackers are likely probing Canada’s infrastructure networks for weaknesses. The agency identified China as the most active and sophisticated cyberthreat to Canada.
David Shipley, CEO of Beauceron Security, called the airport hack “cyber graffiti” rather than a serious assault. “There’s no ransom demand, no theft—just digital vandalism,” he said.
Still, Shipley warned that small police forces are unequipped to handle global cybercrime. “Expecting local departments to respond to international hackers is unrealistic,” he said. “This shows Canada still isn’t taking cybersecurity seriously.”
