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Cell Phones As Weapons?

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quest7

Android Enthusiast
May 9, 2010
724
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#1
Imagine the kind of havoc a malicious*hacker*could cause if he or she were able to take over an airplane simply using his*Androidphone. With a tap of his or her fingers, the hacker could arbitrarily control the plane remotely and redirect its path. If you think this is only something that could happen in a Hollywood movie, think again, because that's exactly the scenario a German security researcher laid out on Wednesday at a conference in Amsterdam.Hugo Teso, a security researcher for the German IT consultancy firm*N.Runs
 
#4
LoL

Good to get the vulnerability squared away. The article didn't mention that he's also a pilot.

I've done extensive work in avionics systems, specifically threat management at the electrical level.

The story there isn't the Android phone, it's the antennas and broadcast system that would be required.

You won't find those on the phone.

Like I said, good they're addressing this, but I wouldn't be afraid to fly in the meantime.

Hats off to that guy. :)
 
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#5
Fortunately the threat is only imaginary, since things don't actually work that way in the real world. Just the overactive imagination of a gamer who thinks he knows more than he actually does. ACARS is a real thing, and maybe one day ADS-B might be in use, but everything else is just plain wrong. But hey, the guy got his photo published. :rolleyes:
 
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#6
Speed Daemon said:
Fortunately the threat is only imaginary, since things don't actually work that way in the real world. Just the overactive imagination of a gamer who thinks he knows more than he actually does. ACARS is a real thing, and maybe one day ADS-B might be in use, but everything else is just plain wrong. But hey, the guy got his photo published. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Actually, I'd recommend a check on him, I think that he's more than a gamer.
 
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#7
EarlyMon said:
The story there isn't the Android phone, it's the antennas and broadcast system that would be required.
Click to expand...
That and the "minor detail" that ACARS is only used for "company" communications, and doesn't control the aircraft in any way. Or that most ACARS use SATCOM now, so to interfere the "phone" would have to be flown between the airliner and the satellite. :laugh:
 
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#8
 
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#9
Speed Daemon said:
That and the "minor detail" that ACARS is only used for "company" communications, and doesn't control the aircraft in any way. Or that most ACARS use SATCOM now, so to interfere the "phone" would have to be flown between the airliner and the satellite. :laugh:
Click to expand...

And an active antenna system, preferably deformable.

And a few other things.

Not much processing though.

I'll bet half the bad guys right now are arguing about dual vs quad core on this.

And this is just for you, I thought that you'd want to visualize the flight dynamics -

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grayfinstudios.android.minisquadronse
 
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#11
EarlyMon said:
And an active antenna system, preferably deformable.
Click to expand...
I haven't seen any without the radome, but I assume they're using phased array panels on the dorsal mounting locations.

Not much processing though.

I'll bet half the bad guys right now are arguing about dual vs quad core on this.
Click to expand...
I wonder if any are thinking of the EP-IBU shootdown.

And this is just for you, I thought that you'd want to visualize the flight dynamics -

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grayfinstudios.android.minisquadronse
Click to expand...
My VFR nightmare! :eek: Thanks! :laugh:
 
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#13
EarlyMon said:
That's the blogosphere author, not the guy being discussed.

Hijacking airplanes with an Android phone
Click to expand...
Say, did you notice that the text of the article in that link is almost identical to the text in the article published on IntoMobile?

I don't know if Hugo Teso is a real person, or actually does what is claimed. ("Don't talk about hack club!" Really? :rolleyes:) But it's pretty obvious that the reporting of the story is pretty brain dead. I suppose that if I was a real pen tester, I'd be happy to see bloggers get the story very wrong, so that nobody can do any real damage. Who knows. I think we're agreed that the realities of RF don't match what Mr. Kersey was saying. ;)

Does this guy look like he's had his ATPL for 12 years?

130411110000-airplane-hacker-hugo-teso-story-top.jpg


He doesn't look much older than 1500 hours. IJS...
 
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#17
Speed Daemon said:
That and the "minor detail" that ACARS is only used for "company" communications, and doesn't control the aircraft in any way. Or that most ACARS use SATCOM now, so to interfere the "phone" would have to be flown between the airliner and the satellite. :laugh:
Click to expand...

I thought he was only using ACARS as a vehicle to get his code into the 'Fight Management System' (whatever that is - my limit with aircraft comms is "Bandit at 6 o'clock").

Is that possible? Are the two connected?
 
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#18
But for me, this type of thing is only a warning shot. If it is not possible, he has put the idea in someone's head, someone with resources & time. And I have long ago learned to let go of the word "impossible" when it comes to technology.
If it's possible to purposely control even one thing on an airplane from any portable device, then I'd say Pandora's Box has been opened.
As for being afraid to fly, I'm not. But I have always preferred the train because I get to enjoy the experience of traveling.
 
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#23
EarlyMon said:
Not much.

Not without more electronics. And more information.
Click to expand...

That is what I'm talking about. The "What if's".
What if someone gets a hold of more electronics and more info in the future. Because the present has shown that it is possible.
And this goes back to what I have said all along, that we just are not ready for this level of technology. Too much greed, too much selfishness and too much self righteousness.
 
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#24
Kamau said:
That is what I'm talking about. The "What if's".
What if someone gets a hold of more electronics and more info in the future. Because the present has shown that it is possible.
And this goes back to what I have said all along, that we just are not ready for this level of technology. Too much greed, too much selfishness and too much self righteousness.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. We need to be less greedy of a species, and really try to live together, and then we can advance with the incentive of making the world a better place, rather than our bank accounts bigger.
 
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#25
Kamau said:
And this goes back to what I have said all along, that we just are not ready for this level of technology. Too much greed, too much selfishness and too much self righteousness.
Click to expand...

Ok.

For years, you've been carrying much more processing power than the nav computer on the Apollos that went to the moon.

How are we not ready for this level of technology, and what level might that be?
 
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