It’s bad when a hacker gets onto your PC and fills your browser search history with a whole bunch of sites you’ve never visited before. It’s really bad when a hacker can take control over a flight’s engine controls.

A cybersecurity consultant has told the FBI that he managed to hack into a plane’s computer system and control the flight from the ground. Not just the once, mind you, which really set some alarm bells ringing. CNN reports:

[Chris] Roberts told investigators he hacked into in-flight entertainment systems aboard aircraft. He claimed to have done so 15 to 20 times from 2011 to 2014.

He also said, according to the document, that once he had hacked into the systems and then overwrote code, enabling him to issue a “CLB,” or climb, command.

“He stated that he thereby caused one of the airplane engines to climb resulting in a lateral or sideways movement of the plane during one of these flights,” the document says.

The FBI and their agents have taken the report seriously, stating that they believe Roberts had the ability to pull off his hacking claims. He wasn’t shy about the incidents either, tweeting on April 15 that he had hacked the flight he was travelling on.

Plane manufactures aren’t as convinced however, with Boeing going on the defensive:

It is worth noting that Boeing airplanes have more than one navigational system available to pilots. No changes to the flight plans loaded into the airplane systems can take place without pilot review and approval. In addition, other systems, multiple security measures, and flight deck operating procedures help ensure safe and secure airplane operations

Whoever you choose to believe the incident will raise some serious questions. My first one would be whether or not my flight serves triples and how quickly they can keep them coming.

[source:cnn]