Threats Associated with an Air Traffic Overhaul

Many aviation experts in the U.S. are urging the current administration to draft a plan to privatize the airline traffic control system. It is hoped that privatization would lead to modernization, which would almost certainly include greater use of information technology. We recently reported on airline “computer glitches” at airlines such as Delta, Southwest, United and Air France that were actual hacking incidents. Hackers have broken into FAA air traffic control mission-support systems in the past. The FAA has made improvements in its cybersecurity posture, but a major modernization effort would increase attack surfaces and introduce numerous new vulnerabilities.

Wapack Labs has reported on airline cyber hacking in the past. An archive of related reporting can be found in the Red Sky Alliance Portal.

The following organizations were cited in this report: United, Delta, SWA, & Air France

TLP: AMBER
ACTOR TYPE: (V)
SERIAL: TR-033-2017
COUNTRIES: US, FR, CN, XZ

INDUSTRIES: Transportation, Financial

REPORT DATE: 20170210