In-Flight Wi-Fi Is a 'Direct Link' to Hackers Michael Rundle - Wired
go to original April 18, 2015

A US report has warned that the presence of smartphones and tablets on airplanes had increased the risk of in-flight cyberattacks. (Shutterstock)

Airplanes with in-flight Wi-Fi are vulnerable to hacks by passengers and could be targeted by a "malicious attacker" on the ground, a US report has warned.

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) described the potential dangers in a new report for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) titled "FAA Needs a More Comprehensive Approach to Address Cybersecurity As Agency Transitions to NextGen".

The study explained that IP networks of all kinds left flights open to cyberattacks -- whether that's in-flight wireless entertainment systems, internet-based cockpit communications or the new Next Generation Air Transportation System due to be implemented by 2025.

"IP networking may allow an attacker to gain remote access to avionics systems and compromise them," the report said.

Read the rest at Wired

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