Is internet on planes a door for terrorist attacks?

Modern aircraft are increasing their capacity Internet connection, which could potentially allow remote access to the flight systems of the ship.

What appeared to be a new standard in service commercial airlines, born of his desire to satisfy users wishing to stay permanently connected to the Internet, it is now a concern.

The US government requested an Audit to conduct latent threats to the aviation sector. experts say that wi-fi in flight could open the door to terrorist attacks.

In fact, the GAO report, which was reviewed by the British newspaper The Guardian - admitted that a hacker traveling as a passenger could theoretically force a plane to land..

According to experts, it would not be easy. But it could happen.

"Modern aircraft are increasingly adding news internet connectivity. This connectivity can potentially allow remote access to the flight systems of the ship," said the GAO report.

According to this institution, the effort of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA, for its acronym in English) and the airlines to modernize the technology on board is a vulnerability that can be exploited for evil.

Same network

The report highlights that the cab and passengers are connected to the Internet through the same address network connection.

Cab and passengers are connected to the Internet through the same address network connection, which is not inviolable for a hacker.

And although the connection between the access system of passengers and aircraft systems is heavily monitored by firewalls (programs that block access to a network unknown), analysts point out that the same can not be assumed to be impenetrable.

"According to cybersecurity experts interviewed, the internet in the car shall be considered a direct link between the aircraft and the outside world, including malignant potential actors," says the report.

And we know that the FAA does not verify comprehensively the level of cyber security before certifying new aircraft that are able to operate commercially.

Furthermore, other vulnerabilities detected also contained the ability to prevent and detect unauthorized entry into the vast network of computers and communication systems that the FAA uses to track flights worldwide access.

The recommendations

The GAO report acknowledges that the Federal Aviation Administration has taken steps to improve their cybersecurity policies, but "there is scope for further changes," particularly because the responsibility of this institution is diluted among several attached units.

Last month another report from the Supreme Audit Office revealed that the guidance systems of the aircraft were under "an unnecessary risk of being hacked."

Among the recommendations to the FAA to reduce the risk levels are:

1. Evaluate the development model of security against cyber threats
2. Create a committee to oversee cyber security activity of all offices of the FAA in the United States, and which includes the Security Office of the FAA as a permanent member.
3. Develop a joint plan with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, for its acronym in English), to incorporate methodology, standards and technology to improve the functioning of the FAA.

The nightmare

Last January, we noted in a previous report that "there is a significant weakness in the area of ​​flight control, threatening the ability of the FAA to ensure the safety of the operations of national airspace system continuously" .

"there is a significant weakness in the area of flight control, threatening the ability of the FAA to ensure the safety of the operations of national airspace system continuously".

Last month another report revealed that the guidance systems of the aircraft were under "an unnecessary risk of being hacked."

The nightmare begins to form in the minds of the American authorities.

The worst scenario we are facing is one where a terrorist with a laptop is among the passengers on an airplane and takes control of the plane using the wi-fi network.

A remote possibility, but today it can not be ruled out.