In a world where the latest breaking news provides plenty of reasons to be concerned about your next flight, security researcher Ruben Santamarta He says it's theoretically possible to hijack a flight using the plane's in-flight Wi-Fi.
Security consultant Ruben Santamarta will present his findings this week at the annual Black Hat hacking conference in Las Vegas. Santamarta's research focuses on the vulnerability of ground stations that use the global satellite communications network.
According to a preview of Santamarta's talk on the Black Hat website, his team used the same devices often used to access satellite communications networks in the air and on sea travel, and "found that 100% of the devices can be compromised."
The vulnerabilities could allow remote access to unauthorized users.
"In some cases, no user interaction is required to exploit the vulnerability. It can be done by sending a simple SMS or a specially crafted message from one ship to another."
It's scary enough for the average traveler to know that a hacker could theoretically use an airplane's in-flight Wi-Fi to infiltrate the flight's electronic equipment and interfere with navigation or safety systems.
"These devices are wide open. The goal of this talk is to help us change that situation," Santamarta told Reuters.
The good news is that so far the hacks have only been simulated in the lab. And as Reuters reports, they may be difficult to carry out in the real world. Manufacturers of satellite communications equipment have so far responded that the risk of their equipment being compromised is minimal.
Santamarta says he will respond in his speech scheduled for next Thursday.
Source: secnews.gr
