A Delta flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta was allegedly targeted by passengers who spoofed the onboard Wi-Fi, catching the attention of federal law enforcement on Monday.
The incident occurred just one day after the conclusion of the DEF CON security conference in Las Vegas, raising suspicions about the involvement of conference attendees.
Details of the incident emerged on social media accounts that track publicly available air-to-ground messages, known as ACARS. The "ACARS Drama" account reported a message sent by pilots on the plane, which stated that a group of passengers who had attended a cyber conference in Las Vegas were able to jam the Wi-Fi and broadcast their own signal.
“NO INFO AS OF NOW WE HAVE A BUNCH OF PAX THAT WERE AT A CYBER CONFERENCE IN LAS THEY WERE ABLE TO JAM OUR WIFI AND BROADCAST THEIR SIGNAL.”
The message suggests that the passengers, believed to be attendees of the DEF CON conference, used their knowledge of cybersecurity to disrupt the onboard Wi-Fi system and broadcast their own signal.
The incident highlights concerns about the potential for cyber attacks on aircraft systems, particularly when passengers with expertise in cybersecurity are on board.
Federal law enforcement has taken notice of the incident, although further details about the investigation and any potential consequences for those involved have not been disclosed.
<small>Source: Ars Technica — read the original story there.</small>
