AoT Phuket explained that the hacker accessed the system using leaked login details for the screen software and has pledged to strengthen security measures.
Reuntip Praikanarat, Director of the Management Department at AoT Phuket, apologised for the incident, saying the images harmed AoT Phuket’s public image and raised serious security concerns.
Ms Reuntip shared the statement to The Phuket News detailing what happened on that day and assured that such an incident would not occur in the future.
The findings revealed that the User and Password of the Software Tools, called Magic Info, had been breached after the user credentials were leaked, allowing the cyber attacker to alter the content shown on the screen.
AoT Phuket clarified that while the display was affected, the Smart Toilet management system itself was not compromised, as the display system runs on the internet and is not connected to AoT’s internal networks.
According to the statement, the incident occurred around 7:30am, when staff at the airport discovered that a digital screen in the international departure check-in hall on the 3rd floor was displaying messages and images unrelated to the airport’s services.
The digital signage is typically used to provide smart toilet guidance, showing information such as user density and directions to the nearest restroom facilities.
It is operated by a private service company under the supervision of Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AoT).
Therefore, the breach did not affect or compromise any other airport systems, the statement noted.
The screen was restored to normal operation by 9:45am, and AoT Phuket promptly launched an investigation to find the cause of the incident, the statement said.
The main AoT headquarters in Bangkok has informed its Communication and Computer Equipment Division of the incident to enhance future cyber protection protocols.
Airport personnel have also been instructed to routinely inspect all digital signage for accuracy, AoT Phuket noted.
Additionally, the Communication and Computer Equipment Division has been tasked with developing safeguards to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.
AoT Phuket in its statement reassured travelers that safety and service quality remain its top priorities and that efforts are ongoing to strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure.