Security
Hacking an Electronic Airplane Is Not Quite So Easy
Multiple points of redundancy provide a certain level of safety against hacking, says one expert.

Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft are not as vulnerable to nefarious hackers as some media reports claim, according to Peter Skaves, the FAA’s chief scientific and technical advisor for advanced avionics. In a report issued last week, the Government Accountability Office said the FAA has “started reviewing rules for certifying the cyber security of all new aircraft systems,” as it also decides how to prevent hackers from gaining access to the evolving NextGen ATC system, especially in light of the prolific use of tablet computers such as the Apple iPad.