If somebody can infiltrate your cyber-privacy through a lightbulb, why should an in-flight movie be any different? A researcher has invented a hack that can access a plane’s communications equipment, through its in-flight entertainment and passenger Wifi—a hack which, in turn, could be used to control the plane’s navigation.
The method was invented by cyber security genius Ruben Santamarta, who will present his findings at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas this week. According to Reuters, his presentation is “expected to be one of the most widely watched” at the event—which makes sense, as what his hack can access is not limited to just jets.
According to Santamarta , there’s no guarantee that hackers will be able to use the hack to access a plane in mid-flight, though he can do so in a lab setting. His exploitation of these communications systems starts, of course , with a password vulnerability.
Santamarta’s hack targets satellite communication systems that are used in ships, military vehicles, and industrial facilities as well as planes. His method exploits a vulnerability in the system’s firmware, giving hackers the ability to manipulate the avionics system of a plane or ship and thus the ability to control its navigation.
“In certain cases no user interaction is required to exploit the vulnerability, just sending a simple SMS or specially crafted message from one ship to another ship can do it,” said Santamarta. “These devices are wide open. The goal of this talk is to help change that situation.”
Source Gizmodo
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