On board passenger WiFi could be used to hack planes

You know that in-flight WiFi that we love so much? Well, it could be breached by hackers to take complete control of the plane. As if it isn't bad enough the WiFi services are extremely expensive and are usually quite slow, now we have to worry about the plane being commandeered in mid-flight!

The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) had actually initially warned Boeing of the hacking risk seven years ago, and it looks like even today, this could still be a problem affecting the Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner jets along with the Airbus A350 and A380. These planes are so vulnerable because their cockpits are wired into the passenger WiFi system, which means a hacker could easily access planes computers with even a USB plug.

This potentially allows hackers to hijack the planes whole navigation system, or in worse situations, commandeer the plane through its in-plane network – all while they’re relaxing and eating a chicken sandwich!

According to reports the hacker would be required to first get passed the firewall that separates the WiFi system from the avionics system. This should provide sufficient security assuming the firewalls are configured properly, although security experts have suggested that separating the networks physically would be a much better idea.

The FAA has also reported that cyber-attacks on an aircraft are indeed a real and serious threat. At the moment they are focusing on aircraft certification standards that would prevent a terrorist with a laptop in the cabin or on the ground from taking control of an airplane through passenger WiFi system.

Luckily, Boeing has stated that their planes have a pilot manual override system that would prevent hackers from commandeering the plane remotely. Recently Airbus has also released a statement in which the company claims that they constantly assess and revisit the system architecture of their products, with an eye on establishing and maintaining the highest standards of safety and security.

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Written By: Christine Romans
CopyWriter at The Computer Guyz Cape Town