Plane Hackers Show How to Control a 737's Autopilot with a Coin-Sized Device

A team of researchers from the University of California at San Diego and Oberlin College has demonstrated that it is possible to hack into a Boeing 737's autopilot system by physically accessing a port on the plane.

The researchers built a small, Wi-Fi-enabled device that costs less than $100 and can be fitted into the port in under a minute. Once installed, the device can send electrical signals to spoof commands to sensitive computer systems, altering key values in the takeoff and fuel calculations while showing fake results on the pilot's screen.

The researchers say this approach represents a practical threat for well-resourced saboteurs and a significant blind spot in aircraft security. They have worked closely with Boeing to share their findings and test out the attack, but the company downplayed the risk, stating that its layers of protection provide sufficient mitigation against real-world attacks.

The researchers suggest plugging the port with epoxy or removing it altogether as a simple fix. They argue that this is something the aviation industry will want to plan to defend against, and they hope their research will lead to long-term changes in both the cybersecurity of airplane components and operational security measures.