FAA report: 787 Dreamliner's onboard computers vulnerable to hacker attack

07 January 2008

Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner passenger jet's onboard computer networks may have a serious security problem as they are vulnerable to passengers who would like to hack into the plane's control systems, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

A FAA report reveals that 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. This would make the plane's control systems vulnerable to hackers. Security analysts say that a more secure design would physically separate the two computer networks.

Boeing said it's aware of the problem and a solution to the problem will be tested shortly.

The 787 Dreamliner is Boeing's hottest selling aircraft and has notched up record sales. The mid-sized jet will seat anything between 210 and 330 passengers, depending on configuration. With induction of the aircraft pushed back to November 2008, from July 2008, the FAA now wants Boeing to address this problem.

According to the FAA document published in the Federal Register, the vulnerability exists because the 787's computer systems connect the passenger network with the flight-safety, control and navigation network. The system also connects to the airline's business and administrative-support network, which communicates maintenance issues to ground crews.

The design "allows new kinds of passenger connectivity to previously isolated data networks connected to systems that perform functions required for the safe operation of the airplane," says the FAA document. "Because of this new passenger connectivity, the proposed data-network design and integration may result in security vulnerabilities from intentional or unintentional corruption of data and systems critical to the safety and maintenance of the airplane."