Delta investigating after someone set up fake Wi-Fi network mid-flight


An unidentified passenger allegedly created a fake Wi-Fi network on a Delta flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta on Monday, prompting pilots to alert air traffic control, according to the airline and public broadcasts from the plane.

“[The] safety of flight was never in question and no aircraft operating systems were affected,” Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant told TechCrunch, adding that the in-flight network was not compromised.

“We are fully investigating to gather a complete set of facts, which will take time. We will partner with federal law enforcement and aviation regulators to ensure the incident is thoroughly investigated,” the spokesperson said.

The flight crew turned off the aircraft’s legitimate Wi-Fi network for around 30 minutes due to the incident.

Once the crew became aware of the fake Wi-Fi network, the pilots sent two messages mid-flight to air traffic control. The pilots said a passenger “created a scam Wi-Fi” that was designed to impersonate the airplane’s legitimate wireless network.

The pilots said they did not have any more information, but said some of the passengers came from cybersecurity conferences held in Las Vegas last week.

At this point, it’s unclear what the passenger or passengers were doing. It’s easy to set up a fake or malicious Wi-Fi network using commercially available tools like a Wi-Fi Pineapple, a hardware device designed for spoofing real-world networks. These devices are sold for professional security testers to audit companies’ security, or for hobbyists who want to learn how to hack. 

The Atlanta Police Department referred questions to federal authorities. Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Steve Kulm said the agency has not received a report about the incident. The FBI did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.



Source link

  • Related Posts

    Why we’re watching these climate tech companies

    Our chosen companies tend to reflect several aspects of the current moment. Here are some of the companies we picked and the key themes worth highlighting.  China is the center…

    Continue reading
    Is That Picture AI? Google’s SynthID Detector Launches to Identify AI-Generated Media

    AI slop is getting so good that it’s not always easy to distinguish a photorealistic forgery from a real photo. It’s no longer as easy as looking for the six-fingered…

    Continue reading

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    Joy and Robert Aumann Bring LUXURYSOCALREALTY to Real

    Disney Believe: 5 exciting new experiences coming in 2027

    Disney Believe: 5 exciting new experiences coming in 2027

    Hispanic Heritage Month quiz: Test your knowledge of Hispanic and Latino culture

    Hispanic Heritage Month quiz: Test your knowledge of Hispanic and Latino culture

    ‘Muramasa: Revenant Blades’ Polishes Vanillaware’s Gem To Shine Brighter Than Ever

    ‘Muramasa: Revenant Blades’ Polishes Vanillaware’s Gem To Shine Brighter Than Ever

    Biologique Recherche’s CEO Has Left, Sources Say

    Biologique Recherche’s CEO Has Left, Sources Say

    Why we’re watching these climate tech companies

    Why we’re watching these climate tech companies