[Newsbot]

Title: Security expert says he hacked into aircraft controls through entertainment system
Category: Tech
Posted By: DrCaleb
Date: 2015-05-19 07:17:44
Canadian

[DrCaleb]

Something about this story is fishy. The manufacturer says it's impossible because the systems are not connected. And if he actually did it, as the FBI states - why is he not under arrest?

[Regina]

The entertainment system is usually Satellite TV and although it can give you a position on a map, it is not one of the multiple GPS sensors and displays used to navigate. I think this guy is just throwing shit on the wall to see what will stick, especially his name.

[Lemmy]

BACKFIRE! Scheme to drum up "security expert" business for himself exposes the fact he is not an expert at all. Ooops.

[andyt]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Something about this story is fishy. The manufacturer says it's impossible because the systems are not connected. And if he actually did it, as the FBI states - why is he not under arrest?

This was my first thought too. Why would anybody connect the flight control and entertainment systems? What would be the point of that?

[DrCaleb]

andyt andyt:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Something about this story is fishy. The manufacturer says it's impossible because the systems are not connected. And if he actually did it, as the FBI states - why is he not under arrest?

This was my first thought too. Why would anybody connect the flight control and entertainment systems? What would be the point of that?

Only to save money on wiring independent data carriers for each system. Otherwise, they should be 'airgapped'.

[andyt]

We've had hacking for long enough now, you'd think that manufacturers would isolate sensitive systems, and that customers would insist on it.

[DrCaleb]

andyt andyt:

We've had hacking for long enough now, you'd think that manufacturers would isolate sensitive systems, and that customers would insist on it.

That's one of the things that's fishy. The manufacturers said they did. The Hacker says he broke through and gained control of the plane. One of them is lying.

[BeaverFever]

I call BS on the whole thing. It doesn't sound even remotely feasible and even if it were true, the guy would certainly be behind bars.

[PluggyRug]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

I call BS on the whole thing. It doesn't sound even remotely feasible and even if it were true, the guy would certainly be behind bars.

I would agree.

The radio control system I use for my aircraft uses FHSS (frequency hopping spread spectrum) for communication. The original (data) signal is spread by modulating it with a 32 bit PRN (pseudo random number) which only the transmitter and receiver know. This gives a possible use of up to 4 billion separate TX/RX combinations. which will not interfere with each other.
This type of transmission is currently in use by the military.
I don't know if commercial aircraft use this method. it would be a good idea.

[DrCaleb]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

I call BS on the whole thing. It doesn't sound even remotely feasible and even if it were true, the guy would certainly be behind bars.

And if he can, why aren't the manufacturers behind bars?