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The whole world is shocked after the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. It is surprising because to date no passenger plane has crashed in this manner. Apart from this, this is the first Dreamliner plane of Boeing which has crashed. After the accident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached the spot of the accident and inspected the situation. A total of 266 people, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, have died in this horrific accident. Out of these, 241 people were traveling in the plane. A new story is going viral on social media regarding this accident in which it is being claimed that Pakistan has a hand in this accident. Pakistani hackers hacked the cockpit of the plane and then crashed the plane. Let us understand whether a hacker can hack the cockpit of a passenger plane and crash it.

Technical structure of modern aircraft
Modern passenger aircraft such as Boeing 737, Boeing 777, Airbus A320, etc. are operated by state-of-the-art computer systems which are collectively called Avionics. These systems control the aircraft's flight, navigation, engine control, and autopilot functions. Security and reliability are given top priority while designing these Avionics systems. Most systems are physically isolated networks, that is, they are not directly connected to the Internet or public networks.

Prevention of cyber attacks: Multi-layered security

Today's airlines and aircraft manufacturers use multi-layer cyber security techniques in their systems. Data and communication are completely secure with encryption. Firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS) immediately detect any unauthorized access. System isolation keeps the inflight Wi-Fi or entertainment system completely separate from the cockpit control system.

Has this ever happened?

The Chris Roberts case (2015): Chris Roberts, a cyber security researcher, claimed that he tried to access the cockpit system through the infotainment system of the aircraft. He said that he tried to turn off the flight's engine for some time, although this claim was not confirmed by government agencies, the FAA and other security agencies took it seriously. After this incident, the cyber security of aircraft was strengthened further.

What are the possible routes of hacking?

Through the infotainment system: Some researchers believe that if the inflight entertainment system is not properly isolated, it can become a potential entry point.

Ground system: Damage is possible by a technician inserting the wrong USB or malware into the aircraft's computer, but physical access is necessary for this.

Insider threat: The biggest threat occurs when a pilot, engineer, or airline staff deliberately tampers with something from inside.

Overall, technically, it is extremely difficult and almost impossible to hack the cockpit system of a passenger aircraft from a distance. So far, there has been no certified example of a hacker remotely controlling the aircraft and causing it to crash. Security agencies do not deny this possibility and are constantly monitoring and improving. The biggest threat is from inside (insider access), to deal with which strict procedures are adopted.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.