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Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner passenger jet may have a serious security vulnerability in its onboard computer networks that could allow passengers to access the plane's control systems, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
The computer network in the Dreamliner's passenger compartment, designed to give passengers in-flight internet access, is connected to the plane's control, navigation and communication systems, an FAA report reveals.
The revelation is causing concern in security circles because the physical connection of the networks makes the plane's control systems vulnerable to hackers. A more secure design would physically separate the two computer networks. Boeing said it's aware of the issue and has designed a solution it will test shortly.
This isn’t a desktop computer. It's controlling the systems that are keeping people from plunging to their deaths.
It's controlling the systems that are keeping people from plunging to their deaths. So I hope they are really thinking about how to get this right."
For these (Novel or Unusual) design features, the applicable airworthiness
regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for
protection and security of airplane systems and data networks against
unauthorized access.
These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model 787-8
airplane.
These special conditions contain the additional
safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to
establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the
existing standards.
.
It allows new kinds of
passenger connectivity to previously isolated data networks connected
to systems that perform functions required for the safe operation of
the airplane. Because of this new passenger connectivity, the proposed
data network design and integration may result in security vulnerabilities from intentional or unintentional corruption of data
and systems critical to the safety and maintenance of the airplane
The Special Conditions
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the following special conditions are issued as part of
the type certification basis for the Boeing Model 787-8 airplane.
The design shall prevent all inadvertent or malicious changes
to, and all adverse impacts upon, all systems, networks, hardware,
software, and data in the Aircraft Control Domain and in the Airline
Information Domain from all points within the Passenger Information
and Entertainment Domain.
But the FAA is requiring Boeing to demonstrate that it has addressed the computer-network issue before the planes begin service.
Gunter wouldn't go into detail about how Boeing is tackling the issue but says it is employing a combination of solutions that involves some physical separation of the networks, known as "air gaps," and software firewalls.
Gunter also mentioned other technical solutions, which she said are proprietary and didn't want to discuss in public.
"There are places where the networks are not touching, and there are places where they are," she said.
"there are protections in place" to ensure that the passenger internet service doesn't access the maintenance data or the navigation system "under any circumstance."
She said the safeguards protect the critical networks from unauthorized access, but the company still needs to conduct lab and in-flight testing to ensure that they work. This will occur in March when the first Dreamliner is ready for a test flight.
Gunter said Boeing has been working on the issue with the FAA for a number of years already and was aware that the agency was planning to publish a "special conditions" document regarding the Dreamliner.
Originally posted by C0bzz
And now from someone actually from Boeing who can actually tell us what they've done to nullify the security risk.
Gunter wouldn't go into detail about how Boeing is tackling the issue but says it is employing a combination of solutions that involves some physical separation of the networks, known as "air gaps," and software firewalls.
[edit on 8/1/2008 by C0bzz]
Gunter said Boeing has been working on the issue with the FAA for a number of years already and was aware that the agency was planning to publish a "special conditions" document regarding the Dreamliner.
Of course, it may still be possible to bypass the security, the still, the level of interconnectivity is still unclear, as is the level of security. I think it's still to early to conclude it's insecure, all the evidence points otherwise.
Boeing spokeswoman Lori Gunter said the FAA has issued eight special conditions on the Boeing 787, but that not all of them pertain to the plane's computer systems.
please do not assume the intelligence of others and what they may or may not know about the subject when they haven't even commented on the safety of the system and if the orginal post is correct or not.
Which means there are other things the FAA are not happy with, for Boeing's sake I hope none of them are to do with damage tolerance of the fuselage barrels.
Originally posted by C0bzz
Which means there are other things the FAA are not happy with, for Boeing's sake I hope none of them are to do with damage tolerance of the fuselage barrels.
I think it means there are no safety standards put in place for specific design features of the 787, so special conditions have been issued which match the equivalent safety standards of current aircraft.
Gunter said Boeing has been working on the issue with the FAA for a number of years already and was aware that the agency was planning to publish a "special conditions" document regarding the Dreamliner.
Originally posted by C0bzz
Obviously someone has been watching "Independence Day" too many times. What makes them think that the frequencies are anything close to "normal" PC connection frequencies. Next scenario will be that a cell phone will have a bad blue-tooth transmitter off frequency and will take over the aircraft thru an embedded virus on the cell phone.
ROFLMAO!!