Cyberattack hit FAA earlier this year

Hackers spread malicious software through a computer network at the Federal Aviation Administration earlier this year, the agency said.

The administrative computer system was affected by a “known virus” that passed from computer to computer via email, NextGov reported late Monday.

{mosads}The FAA told the publication that it identified no damage to agency systems after a “thorough review.”

The cyberattack was evident from an April 2 interim contract solicitation for the FAA’s Cybersecurity Management Center Security Operations Center.

“Due to a recent cyber-attack, the FAA requires additional planning time to determine the impact,” the notice stated.

It is not clear who was behind the cyberattack or what their intentions were.

Government agencies are regularly probed for weaknesses by hackers from around the world, including Russia and China, but few break-ins are disclosed to the public.

“Phishing” emails designed to look legitimate are common in officials’ spam filters, and one wrong click could download malware and give hackers a way in.

A government audit recently warned the FAA that its air traffic control system is vulnerable to hacking, an alarming finding that underscores the dangers of weak computer networks at the agency.

An investigation by the Government Accountability Office said in March that cyber saboteurs who want to disrupt U.S. flight routes would find “significant security control weaknesses” in the FAA’s systems.