Local aviation expert reacts to new aircraft hacking warning

GAO: Newer aircraft vulnerable to hacking

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A warning from Washington says airliners could be vulnerable to hackers even while in flight.

News4Jax aviation expert Ed Booth explains the intricacies behind the government warning:

Q: What does it mean when the Wi-Fi on the plane shares the same router as the planes avionic system?

A: On several new generation airplanes to save weight, the airline designers have gone to use common wiring systems for a number of functions that range from the aircraft radio to the Wi-Fi system.

Q: How real is this threat?

A: First of all, none of these aircraft that have none of these capabilities fly out of Jacksonville International and I have reviewed the report. It's about 58 pages; it came out today. It talks about potential problems, the need to coordinate efforts to combat them, but I do not perceive there to be any genuine real threat of someone taking over of the actual flight control systems of the aircraft.

RELATED: GAO: Newer aircraft vulnerable to hacking

Q: Is broadband opening the door to cyber threats?

A: That's correct. By tomorrow morning I suspect that both Boeing and Airbus will weigh in on this and explain that the flight control systems have some redundancy that would vote out any attempt to hack into the crucial system of the aircraft.

Q: Can the government combat this possible threat?

A: Very much so. I would point out that the report today is one of many reports issued beginning around 1998 where the government recognized the threat and has taken quite a few steps to deal with it over the past 15 or 16 years. I don't think anyone really needs to worry.

Q: Would you agree that there are things going on behind this public record?

A: I don't think that's the case. I think that the threat of actually taking over control of the aircraft -- being able to fly it is extremely remote and probably not possible given my understanding of how those systems work.

Q: Can someone accessing their banking on the plane be a worry?

A: Well, I think that's a worry anywhere there's a Wi-Fi signal just about anywhere on the planet. That's a concern today.