On Monday October 10 several U.S. airport websites were temporarily inaccessible or otherwise disrupted as a result of a targeted DDoS attack reportedly carried out by Killnet, a politically motivated, pro-Russian hacker group.
Prior to the attack, Killnet published a target list on its Telegram channel as a call to arms for like-minded recruits. Among the airports targeted included some of the largest and busiest airports in the United States including Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta, Los Angeles International (LAX), LaGuardia Airport in New York and Chicago O’Hare, among others.
While the incident may have caused inconvenience to people seeking travel information, Kiersten Todt, Chief of Staff of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) stated that there is ‘no concern about operations being disrupted,’ and no signs of impact to actual air travel were reported in the aftermath of the attack.
A DDoS attack involves flooding a computer network with simultaneous data transmissions, i.e., phony web traffic, with the aim of knocking it offline. As opposed to hacking attacks which involve breaking into networks, DDoS attacks aren’t aimed at accessing information. Instead, the objective is to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service or network by overwhelming the target and/or its surrounding infrastructure with a floor of internet traffic, thereby causing it to crash or become vulnerable from the volume of requests.
The Killnet hacker group has taken responsibility for a number of attacks targeting organizations in NATO countries since the onset of Russia’s incursion into Ukraine. Last week, the group claimed responsibility for knocking a number of US state government websites offline using the same DDoS cyberattack modus operandi. The group has also been blamed for briefly disrupting a US Congress website and for a number of cyber attacks targeting Lithuanian agencies, citing their involvement in the ongoing war.
This attack is yet another in an ever-growing list of incidents clearly demonstrating that even our most critical infrastructures are highly vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation. And while the impacts of this attack were minor, we must recognize that similar types of cyber attacks against key assets have the potential to cause catastrophic consequences. As a result, it is essential for everyone, not just critical infrastructures like airports and government bodies, but individuals and businesses alike, to take appropriate counter-measures aimed at securing their most critical networks and systems from relevant insider and external threats.
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Yair Efron is an Innovation Analyst, specializing in technology assessment and the evaluation of cutting-edge solutions. In this role, he conducts in-depth research to identify and assess emerging technologies, working closely with Israeli startups and innovative partners to design and implement solutions tailored to client systems. Prior to joining ASERO, Mr. Efron served in the IDF across the Ground Forces Spokesperson Unit and the IDF Operations Department, where he led technology-driven influence projects, applying digital tools and data analysis to social media operations and team leadership. His service included hands-on experience with emerging technologies in the context of influence operations and digital strategy. Mr. Efron is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Reichman University.
Yuval Shukrun
Yuval Shukrun is an analyst at ASERO Worldwide, specializing in artificial intelligence and its strategic implementation. He previously served in the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) supply chain security division, where he gained extensive experience analyzing and neutralizing cyber attacks. His professional background also includes a tenure as a product manager at an AI startup, where he led the development of innovative data-driven solutions.
He is currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science and Economics, merging technical expertise with a sharp analytical focus on market systems. Beyond his professional work, he is a basketball referee, a role that demonstrates his ability to maintain leadership and quick decision-making in fast-paced environments.
Dr. Marisa Randazzo Dr. Marisa Randazzo, counselor at ASERO Worldwide, is a national expert on threat assessment and targeted violence, operating in consultation with a network of security experts across the United States to help businesses, educational institutions and security professionals assess threats and prevent violence.
Prior to joining the private sector, Dr. Randazzo served for 10 years with the U.S. Secret Service, most recently as the agency’s chief research psychologist. She directed U.S. Secret Service research on presidential threats and attacks, insider sabotage, security breaches, stalking and other types of targeted violence. She has interviewed numerous stalkers, school shooters and other attackers in prison. She has reviewed and consulted on hundreds of investigations involving threats against the U.S. president and other public figures, including presidential children.
Dr. Randazzo works with law enforcement agencies and celebrity protective services to investigate threats and stalking cases, and trains individual clients on basic and advanced threat assessment strategies. She also trains high-profile clients, their families and their protective details on kidnapping prevention and escape tactics; advises clients on sensitive internal investigations; and trains investigative professionals how to detect deception and interview more effectively.
An accomplished public speaker, Dr. Randazzo has trained more than 10,000 law enforcement, intelligence and security professionals, throughout the United States, Canada and the European Union, on threat assessment investigations and threat management strategies. Her work has been credited with preventing planned attacks.
Dr. Randazzo has testified before the U.S. Congress and briefed Cabinet secretaries and White House staff. She has been interviewed by various national and local television, radio and print news outlets, including “60 Minutes II,” “TODAY,” “48 Hours,” “Dateline NBC,” MSNBC, The New York Times and National Public Radio. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on threat assessment and violence prevention (including under her maiden name, Marisa Reddy) and served on the editorial board of the Journal of Threat Assessment.
Dr. Randazzo received a doctorate and master’s degree from Princeton University in social psychology, and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and religion from Williams College. In 2005, Dr. Randazzo was awarded the Williams College Bicentennial Medal for her work in preventing violence. She is co-author of the new book, The Handbook for Campus Threat Assessment and Management Teams.
David Tamir Mr. David Tamir has over three decades of experience as a systems engineer and senior project manager leading innovative technology applications to improve business processes at over 26 airports mostly throughout the United States as well as the Space Shuttle Program. Through his expertise he has developed an efficient and practical gap/risk analysis methodology for identifying and prioritizing airport improvement projects. The methodology includes: identifying and grading airport functions, systems, assets, etc., defining respective criticalities, calculating consequent risks, identifying dependencies and finally developing a five-year phased funding plan based on priorities derived previously. To achieve success with airport improvement projects, Mr. Tamir diagrams the old “as-is” airport business processes in order to design the new “to-be” improved processes. He has improved hundreds of airport business processes spanning Finance & Procurement, Planning, Engineering & Construction, Facilities Management, Operations, Properties & Leasing, IT, Human Resources, Legal, and more. Mr. Tamir has extensive skills in systems project/program management, systems planning, systems design-build and systems commissioning.
Mr. Tamir has managed multiple high profile technology projects at various airports throughout the world including Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Calgary International Airport, Los Angeles World Airports, and with the Israel Airports Authority. Mr. Tamir has supported Charlotte Douglas International Airport’s Technology Program Management Office (T-PMO) and developed a needs/risk assessment on over 400 of their airport systems which resulted in a five-year IT road map masterplan. At Calgary International Airport, Mr. Tamir developed an Airport GIS/BIM needs assessment and implementation plan. He developed an updated enterprise IT/GIS needs assessment and implementation plan that includes a technology applications roadmap, change management plan and business processes, procedures, QC/QA and metrics plan for the Los Angeles World Airports. Additionally, Mr. Tamir has developed an enterprise IT/GIS recommended approach and mobilization plan based on airport industry best practices for the Israel Airports Authority. Along with the projects at these specific airports, Mr. Tamir has developed, for x-Spatial, an enterprise IT/GIS system architecture for airports, a white paper on airport 3D spatial applications for Skyline Software Systems and a study on airport training requirements for various aspects of FAA compliance for Britannica Knowledge Systems.
Previously, Mr. Tamir was Vice President at DMJM Aviation/AECOM Technology Corporation. In that capacity he assembled and managed the Airport IT Systems department consisting of 35 specialized professionals. He also developed the IT Master Plan for Chicago O’Hare’s International Airport in support of a multi-billion dollar Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Additionally, he founded and chaired the Airports Consultants Council (ACC) IT & Systems National Committee, the Airport IT & Systems Guidelines for Planning, Design, Construction and Commissioning, and the American Association of Airport Executives’ (AAAE) Spatial Airport Assessment Management System (SAAMS) Cloud Computing Solution. Finally, Mr. Tamir managed the development and implementation of various integrated IT systems at over two dozen airports throughout the United States, including but not limited to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and Denver.
Prior to that, Mr. Tamir served as Vice President for Carter & Burgess/Jacobs Corporation where he focused on IT/GIS technology. During his five years at the company, Mr. Tamir published the first technical paper regarding electronic Airport Layout Plans (eALP), leveraging IT/GIS technology, which was later adopted by the FAA as a new standard. Before that, Mr. Tamir managed the Airport Information Management System (AIMS) IT/GIS program for Los Angeles’s airports: LAX, ONT, VNY and PMD and launched and supported enterprise IT/GIS Programs for Silicon Valley’s San Jose’s International Airport, Houston Airport System and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
Additionally, Mr. Tamir worked as a Senior Project Manager at Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (1996-2000) and as a Lead Design Engineer/Project Manager at Rockwell International/Boeing (1984-1996). In the former, Mr. Tamir developed a fast-track airport improvement plan that included various airport areas including ground transportation, parking and passenger and baggage processing terminals, while in the latter, developed a computer automated electro-fluid-mechanical solution to reduce time and cost in processing the Space Shuttle fleet, while still upholding flight safety and produced NASA required engineering documentation and safety analysis, among other tasks.
Mr. Tamir has a M.Sc in Systems Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) and a B.Sc. in Aeronautical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University. He also received a specialized certification in airport systems from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. He has been a member of the Airport Council International (ACI) Business Information Technology (BIT) Committee, and the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and former member of the FAA National Airspace System (NAS) Information Architecture Committee.
Remigiusz Slowinski Mr. Slowinski holds over 30 years of experience in sales and business strategy across a wide variety of industry sectors. He has managed sales departments in the automotive industry, developing scale revenue-driven operations in highly competitive markets and devising analytical tools for market analysis to strategically position products and optimized sales processes. As an entrepreneur, he has also successfully applied commercial acumen and strategic foresight to the real estate development and IT learning sectors.
Among his distinguished accomplishments, Mr. Remigiusz Słowiński is the Founder and President of the Board at MaRS Investments, a boutique real estate development company in Poland. Since 2010, he has been responsible for strategic planning, project development, and investment management, both within the company and in collaboration with external projects.
Prior to founding MaRS Investments, Mr. Słowiński was actively involved in the development of the automotive business in Poland. He served as Sales Director and Board Member at Mercedes-Benz Warszawa and held a senior management role at AVIS Poland, where he was responsible for sales, fleet operations, and business development.
Mr. Słowiński holds a BA in Management and Organization from Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu – National-Louis University (WSB-NLU) in Poland.
Peter M. Haykowski
Mr. Haykowski is a seasoned investment and structured finance professional with over 20 years of experience in equity investments, debt fundraising, and financial structuring, having successfully raised and deployed over €5 billion in debt and €700 million in equity.
To name just a coupled of examples, Mr. Haykowski structured and arranged a multimillion Euro CAPEX and refinancing facility for Green Fiber International, one of Europe’s largest integrated recycling groups, and facilitated the financing and sale of a 160 MW wind farm portfolio including structuring a stapled senior financing and refinancing package for a strategic investor in collaboration with CEE Equity Partners.
Mr. Haykowski previously served as a Senior Investment Director with Meridiam Infrastructure in Paris, a global investor and asset manager specialized in developing, financing and managing long-term public infrastructure projects in the transport, building and public services sectors. In this capacity, he was responsible for developing investment strategies and pipelines in CEE and the Nordics (greenfield and brownfield), selecting industrial and financial partners for consortia and equity and debt fund raising. He was also chiefly responsible for negotiating aspects of transactions including teaming agreements, shareholder agreements, financing agreements, co-investment agreements and structuring deals to balance risk and return to ensure they met the investment criteria of the fund over the lifecycle of the asset. Also in his role as Senior Investment Director, Mr. Haykowski developed and implemented asset management frameworks including investor reporting, corporate governance and crisis management.
Prior to that, Mr. Haykowski was the President of the Management Board for Autostrada Wielkopolska in Poland, a concession company, during which he was primarily responsible for managing stakeholder relationships in a complex legal environment, structuring investment grade credit rating for the company and successfully structured and executed company financings and refinancings in the international debt markets to optimize the financing structure of the company. He also designed and implemented the financial, operational, PR and legal strategy including crisis management and litigations and provided construction and investment oversight and management.
Within the banking industry, Mr. Haykowski held senior ranking roles with the Royal Bank of Scotland in London including Associate Director for Infrastructure Finance responsible for finance raising, origination, structuring and execution of a variety of advisory and arranging mandates in the infrastructure sector in Europe and Seconded Deputy Head of RBS Project Finance Sweden in which capacity he developed the banks’ project finance product offering in the region across all sectors.
He also previously served as an Economic Consultant for both Ernst & Young and KPMG, providing consultation in the fields on valuations, econometrics and transfer pricing and analyses aimed at benchmarking value of goods, services and royalties, among other topics as well as an Executive in the Public-Private Advisory department for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in London.
Mr. Haykowski holds a Beng, within Honors, in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Westminster in London, UK and a Masters in Applied Finance (MAF) from the University of Melbourne Business School in Australia.
Noa Nussbaum
Noa Nussbaum is an analyst at ASERO Worldwide, specializing in research, data mining, database development, and data manipulation. She is responsible for analyzing and visualizing data to derive valuable insights. Additionally, Ms. Nussbaum authors formal content for various projects.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from Ariel University, with a minor in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
Dan-Eddy Partouche
Dan-Eddy Partouche is an Analyst offering capabilities in the development of market strategies for various sectors, with an emphasis on Africa. Prior to joining the ASERO, Mr. Partouche served in the French Armed Forces in the Pacific, where he was part of the Communication Division, working closely with military officials, diplomats, and senior representatives from Pacific powers.
Mr. Partouche holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in International Relations and Defense Studies from Sciences Po Aix and a Master’s degree in International Business from North Carolina State University. His professional experience includes working for major companies such as Thales, Sopra Steria, and Airbus Group, where he worked on projects related to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) technology and visitor management systems, as well as contributing to innovative projects within startups.
Danielle Smith
Danielle Smith is a Homeland Security Analyst in ASERO Worldwide’s Tel Aviv office. She works on a variety of homeland security projects within the academic sector. Prior to joining ASERO, Ms. Smith was part of the Israel Defense Force and served in the Spokespersons division, where she worked closely with senior officials, diplomats and military attaches from around the world.
Ms. Smith has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History with specialization in International Relations from the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her Master of Arts in Government, specializing in the fields of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security from the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.
Carl J. Truscott
Carl J. Truscott, Chief Executive Officer for North America, is the former director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and a former head of presidential protection and assistant director of the U.S. Secret Service. Mr. Truscott advises ASERO’s clients on strategic plans for security preparedness, helps companies identify alternative uses for technology solutions to enhance homeland security defense and works to integrate those solutions into the security marketplace. Mr. Truscott has 26 years of federal law enforcement experience, having provided strategic and operational leadership in uniquely challenging situations at two of the most prestigious and multifaceted federal law enforcement agencies in America. He has an exceptional background and experience in all phases of law enforcement, counterterrorism strategies, and integrated security planning and solutions.
Mr. Truscott was appointed by the attorney general to serve as ATF director, a role he held from 2004-2006. Under Mr. Truscott’s leadership, the bureau reduced violent crime to an historic 30-year low, expanded its role in explosives investigations, developed a National Center for Explosives Training and Research and constructed a new training academy. Most importantly the 5,000 men and women of ATF were able to make effective contributions to the Department of Justice’s highest priority – the prevention of terrorism – through intelligence sharing, investigations, regulation, training, laboratory services and an expanded international presence.
As an assistant director with the Secret Service, Mr. Truscott was responsible for the investigative and protective intelligence, threat assessment activities, technical security, information technology and emergency preparedness. Prior to his term as assistant director, he served as the special agent in charge of the Presidential Protective Division, where he had primary responsibility for supervising all protective matters relating to the president, the first family, and the White House. During a period of unprecedented global threat and terrorist activity, Mr. Truscott implemented a strategic approach to security structure, functions and operations. During his Secret Service tenure, Mr. Truscott was also assigned to the New York and Los Angeles field offices, he was detailed as a professional staff member to the U. S. Senate Appropriations Committee in the 105th Congress and he served as the Secret Service coordinator for the 1996 Republican National Convention in San Diego. He began his law enforcement career in 1980 as an investigator for the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety.
Mr. Truscott received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Delaware. He attended executive programs at The George Washington University and Harvard University and participated in the Director of Central Intelligence’s Intelligence Community Senior Leadership Program. He has lectured at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Criminology and at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Mr. Truscott serves on the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Board of Directors and the National Law Enforcement Exploring Committee, and he is a member of ASIS International. Mr. Truscott also served on the Executive Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Mr. Truscott’s numerous honors throughout his law enforcement career include the Presidential Rank Award as Meritorious Executive in 2003.
Zori Kor
Mr. Zori Kor retired from the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) in 2013 after 25 years of distinguished leadership in its counter-terrorism and cyber security branches. Mr. Kor has led and implemented numerous state-of-the-art technology-related projects which have introduced screening techniques, cyber security, and the implementation of complex security systems in civil environments.
Mr. Kor now advises ASERO clients on strategic solutions for cyber security and critical infrastructure defense and provides internationally recognized training on all aspects of security from physical security, aviation security, emergency preparedness, and critical infrastructure protection to crisis response and cyber planning.
Prior to joining ASERO, Mr. Kor held senior field positions in the Israeli Security Agency (ISA). He served as the cyber regulator for critical infrastructure in the State of Israel and Head of the Technology Department in the National Information Security Authority in Israel, known as NISA, a subdivision of the Prime Minister’s Office. Throughout his tenure, he helped steer Israel’s ascendance in the realm of cyber security, developing audits, gap analyses, and risk assessments for Israel’s cyber systems and industrial control systems. He moreover provided instruction, guidance, and policy management for the technical standards of Israel’s cyber security systems and devices.
As the Head of the Technology Department and International Relations for the National Information Security Authority and the Protection and Security Division of the ISA, Mr. Kor was responsible for developing and overseeing strategic international relations with security agencies worldwide.
As the Head of the ISA’s Overseas Security Department, Mr. Kor was responsible for overseeing the security of aviation, embassies, shipping, installations, and international border points. Mr. Kor led a series of projects in coordination with agencies and partners both in Israel and abroad, managed professional instruction on defense, and headed the ISA Center for Professional Activity.
Today, Mr. Kor is a regular speaker at various international homeland security forums and cyber security conferences. He is a key presenter in the Tel Aviv University Homeland Security Executive Certificate Studies Program. Moreover, he has had the honor of presenting on behalf of the Israeli National Cyber Security Authority at a number of conferences and events.
Having served as a member of the steering committee and as a presenter for CyberTech, one of the biggest cyber security conferences in the world. Mr. Kor has also been invited to lead the cyber session of InnovFest” in Singapore, Asia’s largest conference of this kind.
Mr. Kor holds a B.Sc. in Physics, M.Sc. in Applied Physics from Tel Aviv University, and Executive Master of Business Administration from Tel Aviv University. Mr. Kor is a graduate of the Business Executive Leadership Program, University of California, Irvine (UCI), United States. He is fluent in English and Hebrew.
Yuval Makovsky
Yuval Makovsky, Managing Director Israel, joined ASERO Worldwide after nine years of service in the security division of Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport.
In his last position Mr. Makovsky served as the airport’s security screening unit manager. As the unit manager, Mr. Makovsky was responsible for developing and integrating new security procedures into the Security Screening Unit’s operations. Mr. Makovsky was also responsible for the unit’s personnel training and level of preparedness.
Apart from these responsibilities, Mr. Makovsky was also a member of the project team that planned and led the implementation of the security measures in Ben Gurion Airport’s Terminal 3 (the new main international flights terminal). Mr. Makovsky served as the team’s security questioning, luggage screening and passenger screening expert.
Mr. Makovsky’s previous position with Ben Gurion Airport included serving as a security duty manager. In this capacity, Mr. Makovsky was responsible for commanding a force of several hundreds of security personnel, including screeners, profilers and zone supervisors, who conduct the security screening of all the passengers and luggage that pass through the airport. Mr. Makovsky’s responsibilities in this position also included training new security zone supervisors.
Mr. Makovsky has extensive knowledge in the following fields: Explosives Detection Systems, Explosives Trace Detection, walk through and hand held metal detectors, access control systems and security preparedness systems.
Prior to joining Ben Gurion Airport’s security division, Mr. Makovsky served in the Israeli Army’s Bomb Disposal Unit and is a certified bomb disposal technician. Mr. Makovsky holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Tel-Aviv and a Master of Business Administration from the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.
