What did you study?
I studied how cybersecurity relates to the governance of civil aviation and its key objectives, such as aviation safety, aviation security, and air navigation. I examined international, European, and Finnish strategies, regulations, standards, and guidance, as well as the overall framework they form.
What were the results or the main finding of your research?
A key finding of the study is that cybersecurity should not be treated as a technical issue separate from aviation. Its role is to help ensure that air transport remains safe, resilient, and reliable.
However, cybersecurity governance forms a complex framework. International, European, and national governance influence one another, while cybersecurity also cuts across different areas of aviation. Better coordination between these levels and areas is needed to prevent fragmented governance.
How can the results be applied? What new knowledge did the research provide?
The governance model developed in the study increases transparency and helps authorities, decision-makers, and aviation stakeholders examine cybersecurity objectives, responsibilities, regulation, and cooperation as a coherent whole.
The study brings a broader governance perspective to cybersecurity, extending beyond the traditional technical perspective. The approach developed in the study can also be applied to other critical sectors of society, such as other modes of transport, energy, banking, and healthcare.
M.Sc. (Tech.) Tomi Salmenpää defends their doctoral dissertation in Computer Science and Engineering "Cybersecurity Governance in Civil Aviation" on Friday 25th September 2026. Opponent is Professor, Chief Scientific Adviser Chris Johnson (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) and Custos is Research Director Martti Lehto.
The language of the event is English. The event can be followed in the University of Jyväskylä Main Building hall C1 or online.
