Hackers can now take out planes...

[TheYoungEnthusiast]

Couldn't they just test it on the ground? The brakes on those planes can hold the plane at a dead stop when at full power.

 

Problem is it isn't all that easy to convince an airline or a manufacturer to just let some geeks test out an Android tablet with Linux on it by borrowing an aircraft for the afternoon. If there is some legitimate concern over vulnerabilities in the aircraft's systems, it is likely that the manufacturers (Boeing, Airbus etc.) are already all over it. We definitely wouldn't be the first to know.

 

Also, they wouldn't even need the engines at full power. They would probably only need them idling to see if they can be remotely shut down.

[Trik'Stari]

Problem is it isn't all that easy to convince and airline or a manufacturer to just let some geeks test out an Android tablet with Linux on it by borrowing a aircraft for the afternoon. If there is some legitimate concern over vulnerabilities in the aircraft's systems, it is likely that the manufacturers (Boeing, Airbus etc.) are already all over it. We definitely wouldn't be the first to know.

They could get a decommissioned plane and set up the exact same systems as the boeng or the airbus.

[TheYoungEnthusiast]

They could get a decommissioned plane and set up the exact same systems as the boeng or the airbus.

 

Believe me, it ain't that simple. Setting up a decommissioned aircraft with the latest avionics and electrical equipment isn't an easy task.

 

Again, if anyone was going to test this, it would be engineers at a manufacturer. And if it is a severe flaw, they would already be all over it. We definitely would not be the first to know about something like this.

[Guest]

^{I've said that I would never get on a airplane in my life, but now I have a reason not to.}

[deusvult]

I'm still waiting for that die hard computer explode hack. Downloaded some dodgy torrents back in the day. 

[SIGSEGV]

I'm still waiting for that die hard computer explode hack. Downloaded some dodgy torrents back in the day. 

Someone's already found an exploit to make android phones burst into flames by crazy overvolting everything (it was briefly mentioned in a DefCon video, I really should have bookmarked it)

[xeromynd]

Yup but you would need to immediately start looking for a landing area, you cant glide forever. 

 

Not to mention, what happens if something is hacked while over those two big things called the Atlantic and Pacific ocean. yey

[deusvult]

I imagine that's cross compatible with AMD cards. 

[deusvult]

Why would a co-pilot, inside a plane, lock the pilot out and crash straight into the alps? Some people want to kill others, just to kill.

 

 

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD

[Sunako]

   Its is highly unlikely  for a phone to be able to effect any of the control systems of a plane they all use analog systems. The gps tracking system in separate from the controls Autopilot  is always overridden by any manual input. The entertainment systems are one of the few digital systems on the plane and are not connected  to any serious systems. The in flight phone system is separate along with the newer wifi systems. 

 

  This article was written to scare people and to promote their toolkit nothing more then that.

[GoldSrc]

I think I have a very vague memory of people doing this kind of thing, long before smartphones were a thing, not sure where I heard it though.

[Sunako]

    to gain control of system on a plain you need to tap into the the plain its self. Even is the pilot and copilot are unable to land a plane ground has nothing they can do to help besides instruct another person to attempt a landing. But there is one good piece of new i this there is almost always a captain that is off duty on a plane flying somewhere. But the SATCOM that the article  so nicely states for us doesn't connect to any vital systems on a plane.

[Admiral Naismith]

Does it inhibit the Pilot's ability to control the plain except for the engines? Can the pilots override the hacker's shiz?

 

Read article, says pilots still have the ability to control the aircraft.

I was scared for a second...

 

Seriously though, do you guys have any clue the amount of training pilots go through? A plane is not a glorified bus. Pilots are expected and trained to land with planes in the middle of a micro burst at night. They are trained to handle complete electrical failures. They are trained to land planes with one engine out and the other on fire. Pilots do not want to die and understand that they are responsible for many, many lives. I expect that this will get patched soon with few issues.

[TheInverseKey]

lol  good old kali

[Mentalguy]

And people tell me I'm crazy when I say I'd rather take a passenger cabin on a cargo ship than fly.

 

Who's still alive to laugh now?

You wont, if they crash a plane into your ship.

 

 

 

 

I seriously think that fly by wire should stop being a thing.

[Trik'Stari]

You wont, if they crash a plane into your ship.

 

 

 

 

I seriously think that fly by wire should stop being a thing.

Good point, but who would fly a plane into a cargo ship? Military ships I can see (it's been done...obviously), but not a cargo ship.

[euniqe]

if they legitimately saw this as a threat to aviational security, why did they think it was a good idea to tell the internet about it? why not keep it under wraps until it's fixed?

 

Honestly...

[ionbasa]

Who else thought of this scene:

 

 

 

---

 

So the article mentions a security issue with the in flight wifi and entertainment systems that may allow an attacker to access sensitive flight electronics. My first though is that whoever designed these systems are stupid, why couldn't they have been networked separately?  

 

Secondly, I thought of something way worse than what the article mentions:
SDR (Software Defined Radio). If an hacker actually wanted to, they could actually interfere with things such as GPS signaling, satellite data communications, and transponder data all from a laptop or portable computer. They even have mini PCIe /USB SDR radios now. 

 

If someone was crazy enough to do this (terrorist /mass killing / suicide attempt / mentally unstable person), they technically could get away with it. 

[BuckGup]

Internet of everything means hacking of everything. MY TOASTER!

[Kyle86GT]

Speaking as an aircraft mechanic... unless they manually shut off the fuel boost pumps(removing supplied fuel) , manually turn off the ignition systems (to prevent restart), manually close bleed air valves(take away its starting air) , and hit the fuel cutoff levers (killing fuel supply)  not going to happen. All those systems are very simple circuits with analog controls and backups (Most just use a 28VDC signal open/closed and limit switches with manual overrides).

 

Take a look at a modern aircraft like an A380, there is still a lot of analog control in the flight deck. Also with more aircraft using electronically controlled circuit breakers, the most critical ones are still analog. 

[han_han08]

I would think it takes a substantial period of time to get them back up and running, a period of time during which you are in freefall.

 

perhaps glide first, pilots can still be trusted in those times. =)

not freefall yet i think, just like diving immediately after engines are down

[FroggyTaco]

Perhaps it's a ruse to try & see who is dumb enough to try it or go DL'ed this piece of software & track them to see what they are up to.

[ShadowCaptain]

Speaking as an aircraft mechanic... unless they manually shut off the fuel boost pumps(removing supplied fuel) , manually turn off the ignition systems (to prevent restart), manually close bleed air valves(take away its starting air) , and hit the fuel cutoff levers (killing fuel supply)  not going to happen. All those systems are very simple circuits with analog controls and backups (Most just use a 28VDC signal open/closed and limit switches with manual overrides).

 

Take a look at a modern aircraft like an A380, there is still a lot of analog control in the flight deck. Also with more aircraft using electronically controlled circuit breakers, the most critical ones are still analog. 

 

Exactly, its not like you just log onto the planes wifi and press the big "turn off engines" button, these systems are not going to available on a network or anything to any sort of hacker

[rockking1379]

http://news.yahoo.com/japan-airlines-jet-makes-emergency-landing-mid-air-082817963--finance.html

And I just saw this after reading this topic...

[Sunako]

 

 

On average, there are 93,000 daily flights originating from about 9,000 airports around the world. At any given time, there are between 8,000 and 13,000 planes in the air around the globe.

 

 

http://news.yahoo.co...3--finance.html

And I just saw this after reading this topic... 

     There are bound to be a plane or two from time to time with a minor issue.  that Japanese flight did the right thing and every thing is fine no reason to just to the conclusion the plane was hacked.