Cybersecurity in aviation

mood · Jan 13, 2020

Civil and military aviation cyber-security requirements issued
January 10, 2020
https://www.scmagazineuk.com/civil-...-security-requirements-issued/article/1670502

The Military Aviation Authority (MAA) and MOD have announced enhanced requirements for cyber-security, to evaluate and counter the threat to air safety. In addition, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published two notices of proposed amendment (NPA) related to cyber-security.

The following is extracted from the official statement: [...]
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Cybersecurity in aviation: a regulator's perspective

The threat of cyber-attack on military systems is multifaceted and can include incidental attacks not specifically aimed at military systems. An example is a ransomware attack, which encrypts general IT systems and demands payment to unlock the data.

Of specific concern to military systems are state-sponsored attacks, multiply directly from government teams or from covert groups with access to state resources operating under directed intent.
New civil aviation requirements for cybersecurity
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published two notices of proposed amendment (NPA) related to cybersecurity. NPA 2019-01 ‘Aircraft cybersecurity’ was added in February 2019 and NPA 2019-07 ‘Management of information security risks’ added in May 2019. [...]
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Summary
Cyber-attack poses a significant threat to the safe and efficient operation of modern military aviation systems. By supplementing existing civil regulation where necessary, the MAA must now equip the Regulated Community with cybersecurity regulation that, by design and sufficient through-life support, will ensure our critical systems and infrastructure are appropriately protected from this non-traditional, emerging threat.
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mood · Aug 10, 2020

The State of Civil Aviation Cybersecurity
August 9, 2020
https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/security-data-protection/civil-aviation-cybersecurity/

Civil aviation is mainly reliant on cyber-enabled technology that is used to increase the safety and efficiency of air transport. However, as the aviation industry becomes increasingly digitalized, the interconnectivity of systems and dependence on technology has led to the emergence of new risks.
The Aviation Cyber Threat Landscape
The aviation digital attack surface continues to grow in such a way that both managing risk and gaining insight into it remain difficult. With emerging technologies like machine learning and fifth-generation (5G) telecommunications experiencing wider adoption—alongside electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL), and autonomous aircraft—aviation cybersecurity risk management is becoming more and more complex.
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Challenges Towards Cyber Resilience
Aviation is considered critical infrastructure in both the United States and the European Union. One key characteristic of the aviation industry is the high level of interdependency between the various sectors of activity (airports, air navigation services, airlines, etc.) and interconnectivity with related systems (maintenance services, network connectivity services, fuel distribution systems, etc.).

“Technology and digitization not only bring many advantages, but also risks associated with the challenge of finding and managing cyber vulnerabilities across complex, international operations from airports, aircraft operators, Air Traffic Management, and supply chain,” reads a paper by IATA.
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There is no single solution to aviation cybersecurity, and it will take positive collaboration across diverse stakeholders. Along with all this effort, it must be remembered that the aviation sector is a global one. Improving aviation cybersecurity will be a journey, and bringing along all stakeholders is essential if global, systemic risk is to be reduced.
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mood · Aug 11, 2020

Pen Test Partners: Boeing 747s receive critical software updates over 3.5" floppy disks
Industry binning old aircraft is an opportunity for aviation infosec
August 10, 2020
https://www.theregister.com/2020/08/10/boeing_747_floppy_drive_updates_walkthrough/

Boeing 747-400s still use floppy disks for loading critical navigation databases, Pen Test Partners has revealed to the infosec community after poking about one of the recently abandoned aircraft.
The eye-catching factoid emerged during a DEF CON video interview of PTP's Alex Lomas, where the man himself gave a walkthrough of a 747-400, its avionics bay and the flight deck.

"Aircraft themselves are really expensive beasts, you know," said Lomas as he filmed inside the big Boeing. "Even if you had all the will in the world, airlines and manufacturers won't just let you pentest an aircraft because [they] don't know what state you're going to leave it in."
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The key question everyone wants to know the answer to, though, is whether you can hack an airliner from the cheap seats, using the in-flight entertainment (IFE) as an attack vector.

[...] There is the DMZ of the information services domain that sits between the two; to jump between two layers of segregation would be tricky in my view."
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mood · Oct 10, 2020

Computers Aboard Airliners Vulnerable to Hacking, Watchdog Says
GAO issues report faulting FAA for lapses in cybersecurity
October 9, 2020
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...e-to-hacking-watchdog-says?srnd=technology-vp

Airliners carry a variety of computer systems that could become vulnerable to hackers and U.S. regulators haven’t imposed adequate counter measures, a government watchdog report concluded.

The Federal Aviation Administration hasn’t prioritized cyber risks, developed a cybersecurity training program or conducted testing of potentially vulnerable systems, the Government Accountability Office said in a report issued Friday.

“Until FAA strengthens its oversight program, based on assessed risks, it may not be able to ensure it is providing sufficient oversight to guard against evolving cybersecurity risks facing avionics systems in commercial airplane,” the GAO report said.
Commercial aircraft carry increasingly sophisticated computer systems, including wireless networks, seat-back entertainment, position broadcasts and devices that automatically transmit data to the ground.
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The FAA said it agreed with five of the GAO’s six recommendations.
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GAO: Aviation Cybersecurity: FAA Should Fully Implement Key Practices to Strengthen Its Oversight of Avionics Risks

Modern commercial airplanes use avionics systems and networks to share data—for GPS, weather, and communications—with pilots, maintenance crews, other aircraft, and air traffic controllers. Protection from cyberattacks is critical to safety.

Airplane manufacturers have cybersecurity controls in place and there haven't been reports of successful cyberattacks on commercial airplane IT systems to date. But evolving cyber threats and increasing connectivity between airplanes and other systems could put future flight safety at risk if the FAA doesn't prioritize oversight.
We recommended that the FAA strengthen cybersecurity oversight for airplanes.
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Cybersecurity in aviation

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