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Feds: EICAS hacked in-flight
Highlights...
Chris Roberts, a security researcher with One World Labs, told the FBI during an interview in February that he had hacked the in-flight entertainment system, or IFE, on the airplane and overwrote code on the plane’s Thrust Management Computer while aboard the flight. He was able to issue a climb command and make the plane briefly change course. He told WIRED that he did access in-flight networks about 15 times during various flights but had not done anything beyond explore the networks and observe data traffic crossing them. According to the FBI affidavit, however, when he mentioned this to agents last February he told them that he had briefly commandeered a plane during one of those flights. He told the FBI that the period in which he accessed the in-flight networks more than a dozen times occurred between 2011 and 2014. He obtained physical access to the networks through the Seat Electronic Box, or SEB. These are installed two to a row, on each side of the aisle under passenger seats, on certain planes. After removing the cover to the SEB by “wiggling and Squeezing the box,” Roberts told agents he attached a Cat6 ethernet cable, with a modified connector, to the box and to his laptop and then used default IDs and passwords to gain access to the inflight entertainment system. Once on that network, he was able to gain access to other systems on the planes. |
He hacked way more than just EICAS. The Feds say he caused one of the engines to increase thrust and the plane subsequently yawed.
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"...that's weird..." **autopilot/autothrottle disconnect**
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Wow, seems like a look into securing those boxes in a different location or with specialized screws/locks is in order. On one hand it is good to know the information that could be used to compromise safety, but it seems like this guy was ready to push it to the next level and see what types of things he could do in real life without understanding the potential consequences.
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And Babe the Blue Ox was in the cargo hold.
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I'm calling BS on this. Just because he told them he did that does not mean it can or did happen.
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Originally Posted by Bilsch
(Post 1882514)
I'm calling BS on this. Just because he told them he did that does not mean it can or did happen.
They'll probably find out one way or the other...the airplanes computers should have a record of it. The good news is that this guy is a "white hat" and is probably far more technically skilled than anyone the bad guys could employ. But there's no guarantee that will be the case forever... IFE and cabin wifi probably needs to be physically separated from all flight ops systems. That's going to cost a few bucks. |
Originally Posted by Firsttimeflyer
(Post 1882378)
but it seems like this guy was ready to push it to the next level and see what types of things he could do in real life without understanding the potential consequences.
Yes, very bad idea on his part. He'll gain some street cred in his line of work from this stunt but it may not be worth the cost of defending a federal felony and possible jail time. |
Originally Posted by RPJ80
(Post 1882375)
He hacked way more than just EICAS. The Feds say he caused one of the engines to increase thrust and the plane subsequently yawed.
Or rather, was able to make the symbol generators display something other than engine/systems data, or any of the reversionary display modes.
Originally Posted by rickair7777
(Post 1882752)
IFE and cabin wifi probably needs to be physically separated from all flight ops systems.
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Originally Posted by John Carr
(Post 1882790)
Under the assumption that currently isn't of course. |
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