Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

Satellite communications service provider Satcom Direct is inviting EBACE delegates to its booth (W115) to witness live hacks by “white hat” hackers (i.e. ethical computer hackers). The demonstrations by Shorebreak Security digital security professionals involve real-world scenarios and will show “how identity information capture, social engineering, phishing, password cracking, and system compromise occurs,” according to Satcom Direct. Demonstrations are planned at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, and 11 a.m. on Thursday.

 


Satcom Direct will also demonstrate its SD Cyber Security Solutions portfolio, which provides a variety of services to help protect customer data. The company’s secure network infrastructure provides full data encryption “from the air to the ground” and includes monitoring by Satcom Direct’s certified cybersecurity experts.

 


The cybersecurity portfolio takes advantage of Satcom Direct’s own hardware routers, as well as its software services, ground infrastructure, and in-house technical experts. Its SD Pro flight operations dashboard features two new modules for onboard connectivity management and control of cybersecurity threat management.

 


The company's threat monitoring module has been upgraded, allowing users to see types of threats that have been identified and view and sort threats by category, including malware, active intrusion, and phishing. This allows flight departments to “make better-informed connectivity decisions about user behaviors and security policies and stay ahead of any potential vulnerabilities,” according to Satcom Direct.

 


Its new advanced connectivity module is designed to help operators optimize satcom coverage during a proposed flight. The module creates a predictive connectivity map for the planned flight and highlights dead zones and potential areas where a cyber intrusion might threaten data. The module’s existing features include real-time connection status and detailed device usage information.

 


“As business aviation becomes more connected,” said Michael Skou Christensen, vice president of Satcom Direct International, “aircraft become digital platforms for incoming and outgoing data transfer. Each system will have its own vulnerability, so the need to constantly monitor and proactivity prevent cyber attacks is now imperative. We anticipate that our independent data security experts will drive home just how important it is to be aware of the threat of cybersecurity and the need to implement the necessary hardware and software to better protect data.”

 


For flight operations that wish to learn more about how to reduce cybersecurity risks, Satcom Direct is highlighting its CyberSafe (securing assets for end-users) training course. The training, in partnership with Logical Operations, covers technology-related risks, compliance considerations, social engineering, and other data-security-related concepts.

 


Satcom Direct is also offering a free Cyber Smart kit to EBACE attendees that includes real-world scenarios, quick tips, recommended actions, and suggested protocols for aviation cybersecurity.

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