Security flaws let hackers hit in-flight and at sea WiFi

"We are talking about major airlines and fleets."

Why it matters: Hacking an in-flight WiFi system can't crash a plane — that's a different system. But think about the damage a hacker could cause to an airline by sending an alert to in-flight entertainment systems to prepare for a crash landing.

What was discovered: While IOActive had presented on security problems in device software, it hadn't previously checked the prevalence of the flaws in the real world.

• "In 2014, those scenarios were theoretical. After four years, we’ve proved they are real," Santamarta told Axios.
• Santamarta also discovered ways a hacked system could be weaponized to exert harmful radio frequency broadcasts.
• The 2014 presentation found a bevy of problems in SATCOM, including flawed protocols, poor encryption and hard coded passwords.

Who it effects: IOActive found accessible systems in NATO conflict zones, where SATCOM is used for sending communications to a remote region.

• Those systems include at least one major airline carrier being kept secret until the presentation.
• The firm found some systems at sea that had been infected in malware, although it was unclear whether that was a targeted attack.