Hacking Airplane Navigation Systems



(Amsterdam, The Netherlands) This report is ominous.

A presentation at the Hack In The Box security summit in Amsterdam has demonstrated that it's possible to take control of aircraft flight systems and communications using an Android smartphone and some specialized attack code.

Hugo Teso, a security researcher at N.Runs and a commercial airline pilot, spent three years developing the code, buying second-hand commercial flight system software and hardware online and finding vulnerabilities within it. His presentation will cause a few sleepless nights among those with an interest in aircraft security.

Industry insiders dispute the dangers but allow that hackers may be able to cause cockpit lights to blink and pressurized air masks to drop.

Nevertheless, potential hacking of airplane controls is a nettlesome concern.