In yet another episode of what happens when security takes a backseat to political correctness, the public address system at Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) in Pennsylvania was hacked Tuesday evening — and passengers were treated to a bizarre, profanity-laced anti-Israel and anti-Trump rant.
According to a statement from airport officials, shared via FOX 43, an “unauthorized user gained access to the airport PA system and played an unauthorized recorded message.”
That “unauthorized message” reportedly lasted about 10 minutes, during which the hacker could be heard shouting “Free Palestine” and hurling expletives at both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Social media videos captured the chaos, and in classic cyber-vandal fashion, the intruder left a signature:
“Turkish hacker Cyber Islam was here.” Cute.
Officials at HIA labeled the broadcast a “political message,” noting that no threats were made against passengers, airlines, or staff — though it certainly didn’t inspire confidence in airport security.
Still, one Delta flight headed to Atlanta had to return to the gate and undergo a full security sweep. TSA deplaned all passengers, delaying the flight by 45 minutes, all “out of an abundance of caution.”
“As the safety and security of our customers and employees comes before all else, Delta followed the direction of TSA to return to the gate and complete a security check of the aircraft. We appreciate our customers’ patience and cooperation,” a Delta spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The airport quickly shut off the PA system and law enforcement is now investigating — though no arrests or suspects have been named. Normal operations resumed shortly after the incident.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Just months ago, the FBI issued a warning about an increasingly active cybercriminal group called “Scattered Spider” — known for targeting airline and transportation sectors.
In a post on X, the FBI warned that this group often impersonates legitimate employees to trick IT departments into granting access, effectively bypassing multifactor authentication (MFA).
“They target large corporations and their third-party IT providers,” the FBI said, “which means anyone in the airline ecosystem, including trusted vendors and contractors, could be at risk.”
No word yet from the TSA, Secret Service, or HIA beyond their standard canned statements, but don’t hold your breath for a press conference.
