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A commercial airplane hack is just a matter of time research reveals
Washington - When you're planning your next trip, you might want to consider the fact that experts from several government organizations, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security amongst them, have warned that sooner or later a commercial aircraft will be a victim of a cyber attack that will end in catastrophe. (airlinerwatch.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I am an older pilot trained as a fixed wing (and later helicopters) pilot flying some rather unsophisticated aircraft but one thing we were well trained in was how to fly approachs to minimums looking only at the pointer of an ADF or the needles of a VOR or ILS. We didn't have radar monitoring or vectors and we managed pretty well. I realize things are much more complicated now but my questions is, do they still teach the basics? Might make a difference in a hacking situation. Just some thoughts from a Master Army Aviator long retired.
Not likely.
Flight controls not connected to any WIFI.
Manual control of aircraft available.
A/C radar, ADF, VOR and ILS work.
My only issue is too much reliance on glass cockpit instruments and autopilot.
Old retired pilot also. Started on round dials and noisy props. Retired on 777.
40 years in aviation.
Flight controls not connected to any WIFI.
Manual control of aircraft available.
A/C radar, ADF, VOR and ILS work.
My only issue is too much reliance on glass cockpit instruments and autopilot.
Old retired pilot also. Started on round dials and noisy props. Retired on 777.
40 years in aviation.
That is why I say over riding the ground stations is the answer!
This is just another of those articles that attempt to paint a sensational picture using half-truths and omitted facts. Yes, the carefully staged attempt to hack the entertainment system partially succeeded. No, that didn't give them access to the flight controls or navigation, entirely separate isolated systems. Yes, it is possible to spoof or distort GPS (and VOR/ILS) signals, but that isn't a "hack" of the aircraft, rather it is more akin to attacking it with a gun or missile.
Now if the pilots are updating and/or controlling flight avionics via WiFi or Bluetooth from a pad or laptop, then yes, we need to consider hackers. (Is that done?) And any sort of externally-controlled pilotless aircraft could obviously be a target.
Now if the pilots are updating and/or controlling flight avionics via WiFi or Bluetooth from a pad or laptop, then yes, we need to consider hackers. (Is that done?) And any sort of externally-controlled pilotless aircraft could obviously be a target.
Most useless article ever. If it was easy it would have been done. The supposed "hack" of a 757 by DHS was of a machine parked at a gate, and admittedly did not takeover flight controls. Far different for machines hundreds of miles away and 6 miles high. The idea that you could takeover the autopilot is ridiculous. At the first bogus signal it unhooks and you get manual control. The idea some ISIS bedouin in a tent with a Radio Shack bag of parts could run an airliner into the dirt is the stuff of crack dreams.
I for one as a Mechanic specializing in Avionics and know the systems very well... I have been saying for the last 20 years that this was coming. I feel that CAT III a/c will be the most at risk. To be honest, it would not be that difficult and the technology exists and has existed for some time. I am not going to go into the How To as someone could possibly use them. I have voice my concerns in the past.
Would you not require a hardwired setup externally to attempt access to the closed Arinc 429 or similar data bus. In order to give a electronic command and even then suppose that an external input to the DEEC’s or Auto Thrust would that not give a miscompare and an EICAS alert to the pilots and they would just shut it down or disable the affected system. Obviously I’m not a avionics guy but I believe there isn’t any connectivity between the cockpit systems and outside sources, except for telecommunication and parameter reporting. Just inqiuring!
Not necessarily... How about faking a ground station and direct the a/c to the ground... IE... Control a Glide Slope.Localizer for approach by putting out a much stronger signal than the ground. The RadAlt simply sync the signal and then you would be able to control what the captain sees. Any RF signal can be over taken with a strong enough signal.... Keep in mind that airports run relatively low wattage transmitters as they are all clear line of sight and close targets. I am not going to post other details as I do not want to give bad eyes something to do... but understanding how the equipment work and the right now how, it would be incredibly easy and the thing about it... you bring a CAT III a/c in and you smack him into the ground long before he ever knows what happened... And then when you switch off you are long gone before anyone knows anything...
If you fake a ground station, the you would have to mirror a freq. an ident., somehow mess with pressure instruments and their respective ADC’s in the cockpit which has no connectivity., and since there are more and more GPS approaches beiing used you would have to mess with the signal, time clock, data base cuurency., and all the alarms in the tower when an ILS system is compromised with duplicate signals! BTW, how would you mess up a HUD with FLIR? You can build and fly a remote controlled airliner which conceivably would be easier to hack because its controlled from the ground, but today's passenger jets, I’m not so sure. Still, there is the future and its full of surprises.
That’s hacking the ground station not the aircraft. Where does the altimeter fit into your theory? Not to mention FAF crossing altitudes, DH, and TAWS considerations. Since the RadAlt is independent of any ground signal not sure how you can manipulate it from the ground other than digging a big hole but that sure would mess up the runway.