[WMCoolmon]

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.

http://www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2008/01/dreamliner_security

For those of you who don't get the reference, go here.

[Mobius]

They should watch more Battlestar Galactica and play less Ace Combat...they named a drone "Mobius"

[Kosh]

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.

http://www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2008/01/dreamliner_security

For those of you who don't get the reference, go here.

So instead of just one network, why not have the passenger network and the cockpit networks seperated?

[Unknown Target]

Wow, that's freaking retarded. What dumb **** would wire those two things together?

[Agent_Koopa]

Wow, that's freaking retarded. What dumb **** would wire those two things together?

Well, in case the plane gets taken over by hostile aliens and you have to override their control of it but you don't feel like crawling through vents.

[Dysko]

What could happen if a passenger has a laptop with Flight Simulator and plays during the flight?

And what could happen to the plane if he is flying with the Extra 300?

[jr2]

Yikes.

[Nuke]

what they need to do is stick some of the best hackers they can dig up on a test flight, and tell them to take over the plane.

it will either
A: prove that the system is safe
2: kill some hackers and some test pilots in a fiery plane crash

[DeepSpace9er]

Overreaction city here.. do you know how simple it would be to rectify this?

[Dysko]

Overreaction city here.. do you know how simple it would be to rectify this?

Passengers fly on a towed plane?

[DeepSpace9er]

Actually I was thinking more along the lines of the FAA banning all passenger flights now, and requiring us to use trains and buses to travel cross-country, and ocean liners for overseas. All because they couldnt isolate the passenger internet access on the 787.

[Nuke]

america's train system is in piss poor shape i think. our railroad technology is at least 50 years out of date. wouldnt mind taking a train if it saved me a few hundred bucks for a ticket. buses arent bad either if you want to travel on the budget. but being in alaska, its hard enough to get them to build roads and tracks. the only ground connection we have with the rest of the usa is the treacherous one lane highway through canada, which was built during ww2 and probibly not maintained much since.

a hardware solution is desirable i think. software firewalls is just crazy talk. on the other hand why even bother giving passengers entertainment systems and internet access. id rather they focus on making the ride cheaper. onboard entertainment systems have caused at least one plane crash that i know of, where wires arced and caused a fire, which destroyed the plane. why add further complexity to an already complex aircraft. people just seem to be more concerned with alleviating boredom they they are with safety.

[S-99]

Yeah, **** internet access in the air. Idk about everyone else, but the ****ty magazine, the radio i don't listen too, and the ok movies they show is good enough. Next thing you  know the pilot will crash the plane because he was busy either doing some extreme blogging on his blog site www.thelifeofapilotsucks.org, or he was busy getting back at everybody being addicted to myspace. Just no internet in the skies period. I can see the pilot and the passengers all getting back at people on their friends lists making  negative remarks and as they recieve them claiming that they have a sinking feeling.

[Dysko]

requiring us to use trains and buses to travel cross-country, and ocean liners for overseas.

You're a monster. You hate our blue planet. You hate Mother Nature.
Why would you use such polluting monsters like trains, buses and ocean liners, when you can go everywhere walking and swimming? Why? Why do you want to destroy our planet?
[/irony about environmentalism]

Returning on-topic:

Next thing you  know the pilot will crash the plane because he was busy either doing some extreme blogging on his blog site www.thelifeofapilotsucks.org, or he was busy getting back at everybody being addicted to myspace.

I read of a plane which crashed because pilots were busy listening to a football match on a portable radio...

[S-99]

Damn, i didn't think my goofiness had any application besides the occasional distracted pilot bit.

[SadisticSid]

Overreaction city here.. do you know how simple it would be to rectify this?

That it happened in the first place, apparently by design (and was caught only by external scrutiny) is kind of the point.

[S-99]

Next thing you know is that the in flight internet is connected to the planes control and navigation via being hooked up to the same surge protector

[TrashMan]

Terrorists will be charshing planew with nothing but Microsoft Flight Simulator, some hacking tools and a working internet connection!

Woes to you!

[Turey]

Kind of off-topic, but I'd laugh hysterically at a video of the plane's engines being turned on in the middle of that crowd of people.

I'm not sure why, it just strikes me as uproariously funny.

[S-99]

Well that'd be called human cycling. The humans in the front of the jet would get sucked through and sprayed on the humans in the back.