Researchers Uncover Flight Computer Vulnerability in Tiny Device

A group of researchers from the University of California, San Diego, and Oberlin College have created a tiny device that can compromise Boeing 737 flight computer systems. The device, approximately the size of a coin, plugs into an exposed maintenance port and intercepts or alters data exchanged by flight-control components.

This creates a serious safety risk, as the device can even reach the plane's avionics through the onboard Wi-Fi network. Once connected to an external access point on the 737, the device can listen in on traffic between the MCDU (multifunctional display) and the FMC (flight management computer).

Aaron Schulman, a professor at UC San Diego, noted that 'We recognized this as an actual, credible threat: someone could attach a device to the bus, harvest data, and possibly gain control. Our reaction was that we had to rethink everything.'

The researchers recommend blocking the service port and improving electrical separation between onboard systems to significantly reduce the risk of misuse.