FBI: Hacker took control of 15-20 flights. Evidence of "damage and tampering" in an in-flight entertainment box

[pnwmom]

The warrant says this was done by a computer security guy -- without authorization -- who took temporary control of flight instruments.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/05/16/chris-roberts-fbi-plane-hack-one-world-labs/27448335/

SAN FRANCISCO — A computer security expert hacked into a plane's in-flight entertainment system and made it briefly fly sideways by telling one of the engines to go into climb mode.

SNIP

The warrant describes how Roberts would wiggle and squeeze the Seat Electronic Box under his seat, which connected to the plane's in-flight entertainment system, or IEF.

He would then connect a cable to the box and connect it to his computer. From there, Roberts was able to hack into the plane's IEF system using default IDs and passwords.

SNIP

The agent inspected the Seat Electronic Box below seats 2A and 2B and found evidence of damage and tampering.

[Calista241]

1. Why the inflight entertainment system is connected in any way to flight operations

computers just baffles me. It would be 10x easier, and infinitely more secure, to set it up as a closed system with no connectivity to other computer systems on the flight.

[hunter]

2. "Wiggle and squeeze" sounds like some kind of sex act...

... guaranteed to make any average U.S. American afraid.

[BobTheSubgenius]

3. What a completely bizarre story.

Why would this be possible, and why would he do it? It seems like a plot device in a bad action movie.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Bizarrely written, too.. n/t

[Angleae]

5. I don't buy this.

Hacking into the entertainment system, sure. Altering engines & flight instruments, no. In over 20 years of being a commercial avionics tech, I've never seen or even heard of the entertainment system being linked to any other system except to receive inputs from inertial reference units to show the position/speed/altitude/etc of the plane on a map displayed in the cabin.

[FLPanhandle]

6. The guys claims he did it, so the FBI has to investigate

I highly doubt his claims.

[pnwmom]

9. I've talked to Boeing people who say it is unlikely but possible.

And the article did indicate that he tampered with the in-flight system.

[DiverDave]

7. And they want 18 wheelers to be

computer driven.
Gotta make more profits, safety be damned.

[IDemo]

8. Planes could be hacked through in-flight entertainment system

Airliners could be hacked mid-flight through passengers using the plane’s wireless entertainment system to access its flight controls, a US agency says.

The threat was identified in a new report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlighting emerging cybersecurity challenges faced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which also included protecting air traffic control systems from cyber-attacks and clarifying the cybersecurity responsibilities of multiple FAA offices.

GAO investigators spoke to cyber-security experts who said on-board firewalls intended to protect avionics from hackers could be breached if flight control and entertainment systems use the same wiring and routers.

"Internet connectivity in the cabin should be considered a direct link between the aircraft and the outside world, which includes potential malicious actors," the report said.

http://eandt.theiet.org/news/2015/apr/plane-hack.cfm