If you were watching the game on your brand new big screen TV, and your buddy made the claim that he had controlled your microwave by hacking into the TV’s system, you would certainly deride him and not take it seriously. Our comprehension of the TV and the microwave, and the sole thing linking them (the 110 volts AC in the house) tells us that there is no rational basis for your buddy’s claim.
However, if someone had told you that they were able to hack into an airliner’s inflight entertainment system and use that to hack into the flight deck’s automation, you may find it plausible not knowing the design and the specifics if each system.
Recently, Wired published an article claiming that a man did just that, and inferred with the title that the FAA confirmed the action. The man in question, Chris Roberts, is basking in his requisite 15 minutes of fame.
This has already created hysteria in the media, and fears of safety that have spread throughout the masses without warrant. Other news agencies are picking up the story, even after many in the aviation industry have already come out hard against the ridiculous claim.
The “feds” reference is merely text in an FBI’s filing of a search warrant, which is quoting a fear of the hacker’s claim, not confirmation of a successful action of the part of Roberts.
Slicing The Baloney
Like the analogy of the TV and the microwave, the only thing the inflight entertainment and the flight deck computer share in common is the vessel they are in and the power supplied to them. Mr. Roberts was the master of fabricating a story of his being able to hack into more than a wide variety of movies and TV shows.
The flight control and engine management computers are designed and programmed solely for that one purpose. The power supplied to them is either through the standard aircraft power, or dedicated power from purpose built engine generators. Hacking into these systems would require direct access to the system and specialized hardware and software to do anything useful other than disrupt it. Had Mr. Roberts physically hacked through the floorboards and made his way into the aircraft’s E&E (electronic and equipment) compartment, his claim would have some credibility.
If any hacker were able to find a way to take control of an airliner, the FAA would immediately ground the fleet until a change could be made to the design guard against this, initiated by an emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD). Had Mr. Roberts been able to do anything more than disrupt his seatmate’s Tetris game, he would have been immediately placed in jail for hijacking. As it stands now, his computers are being looked at, and he will likely be charged with either attempted hijacking or trying to interfere with crewmembers.
Wired leaped forward on this story without researching it properly. In doing so, they have given a spotlight to Chris Roberts and his claims. But that limelight has burned out, and Mr. Robert’s 15 minutes of fame are over.
John Steffen is a former airline pilot and aviation expert and historian currently residing in New York.
Phil Derner founded NYCAviation in 2003. A lifetime aviation enthusiast that grew up across the water from La Guardia Airport, Phil has airline experience as a Loadmaster, Operations Controller and Flight Dispatcher. He currently runs NYCAviation and performs duties as an aviation expert for the media. You can reach him by email or follow him on Twitter.