TSA Defeats Spokane Airport Board’s Cybersecurity Rule Challenge

The operator of Spokane International Airport failed to convince a federal appellate court Tuesday to reject cybersecurity requirements from the Transportation Security Administration that were issued on an emergency basis in 2023.

The TSA has the statutory authority to regulate cybersecurity, Judge Neomi Rao of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said. The rule requested immediate action to protect national and transportation security from the impact of cybersecurity threats by requiring certain airport and aircraft operators adopt plans to prevent disruption of critical systems, and audit those procedures yearly.

“Congress has conferred substantial authority upon TSA ...