Security expert pulled off flight by FBI after exposing airline tech vulnerabilities

Discussion in 'privacy general' started by Justintime123, Apr 17, 2015.

  1. quietman

    quietman Registered Member

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    More news on this story on the BBC website yesterday ... EFF are now involved.

    I don't think we are getting anything like the full picture yet ...
    ....there is some doubt if the guy was actually able to influence any of the plane's systems.

    I am certainly not giving any credence to the FBI version , and which " facts " they include
    .... and which ones they don't.
     
  2. noone_particular

    noone_particular Registered Member

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    Definitely. If that guy did actually hack into a planes controls, admitting or denying it both have very undesirable consequences. IMO, tying a planes controls into TCP or anything similar is the height of senseless. That should be a completely closed system. With all of the events and finding of the last several years, I find it incredible that an airplane manufacturer would willingly choose to design a system this way. Given some of the revelations regarding official coercion of manufacturers of other electronics and communications equipment, "willingly choose" might be the real issue here.
     
  3. driekus

    driekus Registered Member

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    That was my thought as well. It could be a case that the FBI is "confusing" what was done in real life vs what was done in simulations. If it was indeed done in simulations then the FBI is misleading the public.
     
  4. deBoetie

    deBoetie Registered Member

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    @quietman - facts seem in short supply, the claim that he was able to make the plane "move sideways" was particularly droll. Loss of tailplane would have quickly ensued. Banking the aircraft I could credit.

    There is only going to be one internet uplink, I suppose it's inevitable that they would have to share it amongst the systems. And whatever's doing the sharing is presumably vulnerable (and if anything like other manufacturing's ability to handle technology and security is concerned, abysmally weak). So, I'm afraid, I do buy the possibility that it's possible to attack/subvert the avionics from your seat, but would take a large amount of hacker and avionics equipment experience. And seriously stupid. I don't even see it as a credible attack method personally.
     
  5. quietman

    quietman Registered Member

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    United Airlines are now inviting hackers !

    We are living in strange times ....

    ..... " signs and wonders " - :)
     
  6. Dermot7

    Dermot7 Registered Member

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    http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/25/us-tech-aviation-cybercrime-idUSKBN0OA1GK20150525
     
  7. noone_particular

    noone_particular Registered Member

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    From the article, emphasis mine:
    Not their planes or infrastructure, just their websites. A complete diversion from the real problem.
     
  8. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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  9. Justintime123

    Justintime123 Registered Member

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    Hackers ground 1,400 passengers at Warsaw Airport

    MSN

    -
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 21, 2015
  10. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    United Airlines hands out million-mile bug bounty
    https://threatpost.com/united-airlines-hands-out-million-mile-bug-bounty
     
  11. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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