Imagine this: A terrorist hacks into a commercial airplane from the ground, takes over the controls from the pilots and flies the plane into the ground. It sounds like the plot of some "Die Hard" reboot, but it's actually one of the possible scenarios outlined in a new Government Accountability Office report on security vulnerabilities in modern airplanes. . It's certainly possible, but in the scheme of Internet risks I worry about, it's not very high. I'm more worried about the more pedestrian attacks against more common Internet-connected devices. I'm more worried, for example, about a multination cyber arms race that stockpiles capabilities such as this, and prioritizes attack over defense in an effort to gain relative advantage. I worry about the democratization of cyberattack techniques, and who might have the capabilities currently reserved for nation-states. The link for this article located at Schneier on Security is no longer available. . The threat of airplane hacking intensifies as modern aviation technology evolves, enhancing safety but also exposing vulnerabilities to cyberattacks.. Aircraft Control Threat, Cyber Threats Aviation, Airplane Security. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Get the latest Linux and open source security news straight to your inbox.