Apr 17
Pirate Bay cofounder Gottfrid Svartholm Warg has been charged on suspicion that he hacked into a variety of companies, as well as fraudulently withdrawing money from the Swedish Nordea bank. More »
Apr 14
In recent months we have heard both U.S. and China bicker back and forth on cyber attacks originating from the other’s homeland, but now both of them will be collectively working on cybersecurity. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, during a visit to Beijing, revealed that both countries had agreed to speed up action on cybersecurity and had also agreed to form a working group for the purpose. This development should put an end to the hacking accusations from both sides, but it is not clear as of now what the collaboration will result in. China’s Foreign Minister has been quoted as saying that both China and U.S. should make joint efforts so as to safeguard cyberspace.
Back in February a security firm based in U.S. released a report stating that the military of China had a secret unit which behind many hacking attacks against the country. On the other hand, China says that the country had been victim of cyber attacks from the U.S. on a large scale. Both countries will also be forming a working group that will be focused towards climate change.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Land For Thirty Meter Telescope Finally Okayed By Hawaii, Bathroom Usage Monitor (BUM) Should Be Compulsory In Offices, 
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Apr 13
Federal Aviation Administration says Android plane hijacking isn’t possible
Posted in: Today's ChiliOn Thursday, a man named Hugo Tesco demonstrated at the Hack in a Box security conference a way to hijack an airplane using an Android device – and nothing else. Obviously, such a claim drew quite a bit of attention, including from the Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Administration, both of which have come forward with statements that it simply isn’t possible.
According to Tesco, an airplane could be hijacked because two aviation systems, the Automated Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast and the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System, are unauthenticated and unencrypted. He acquired flight code software off eBay and a radio transmitter, and got to work with creating his plane hijacking method.
Tesco used the code to find vulnerabilities in virtual aircraft, and via these problems he used his Android app called PlaneSploit to take control of a Boeing jet in autopilot mode. Rockwell Collins, which is a company that make the systems that were hijacked, says the problem is that Tesco is using a virtual plane, and that such a method wouldn’t work with a real aircraft. The FAA agrees, publishing a statement that says:
“The FAA is aware that a German information technology consultant has alleged he has detected a security issue with the Honeywell NZ-2000 Flight Management System (FMS) using only a desktop computer … The described technique cannot engage or control the aircraft’s autopilot system using the FMS or prevent a pilot from overriding the autopilot. Therefore, a hacker cannot obtain ‘full control of an aircraft’ as the technology consultant has claimed.”
[via The Register]
Federal Aviation Administration says Android plane hijacking isn’t possible is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Apr 12
Remember how the internet got itself all riled up a few days ago when it found out that it would only take one rogue Android user to hack and take over an entire plane? Yeah, about that—it’s not true. More »
Apr 11
The Hack in the Box security conference is taking place in Amsterdam this week, and one of the talks was fairly interesting. Hugo Teso, who is a security professional as well as a licensed pilot demonstrated how one could remotely hijack an airplane using nothing but an Android device as the tool.
It turns out that two important aviation systems — the Automated Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) — are completely unencrypted and unauthenticated, allowing anyone with the right tools and a little know-how to access the system remotely without too much trouble.
Teso simply hit up eBay for “actual flight code software” that’s normally used for training pilots, as well as nabbing a radio transmitter. During the demonstration, Teso audited real aircraft code by searching for vulnerabilities on a fleet of virtual aircrafts (using real airplanes in this case would obviously be unethical and quite illegal. Along with an Android app called PlaneSploit (which won’t be hitting the Google Play store), Teso was able to control the steering of a Boeing jet, as long as the plane was in autopilot mode.
Teso has been working in the IT industry for 11 years now, and before that he was a trained and licensed commercial pilot for 12 years. His 23 years of combined experienced with the two professions has led him to teach the public about the state of the security of aviation computer systems and communication protocols, which are actually not that secure, as Teso demonstrated.
[via Help Net Security]
Hacker demonstrates remote airplane hijacking using Android phone is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Apr 11
If airlines were already keen to keep your phone switched off, things could soon get even more militant. According to a talk by Hugo Teso at the Hack In The Box security conference, it’s possible to hack an entire plane using an Android smartphone. Gulp. More »
Apr 11
Hugo Teso, a security consultant who also happens to be a trained commercial pilot, says he’s developed an Android app that can make an airliner “dance to his tune” by attacking its flight management systems. The hack was demoed at this year’s Hack In The Box conference in Amsterdam, where Teso showed how the app — called PlaneSploit — can seek out targets from the ground by infiltrating radio broadcasts between aircraft and air traffic control, and then use a second communication system to send malicious messages to that could “take full control of the plane” or indirectly affect the pilot’s behavior. PlaneSploit is proof-of-concept software, designed to work in a closed virtual environment, so it’s not like we’re going to see it pop up on Google Play any time soon, but just the fact it exists will hopefully help to keep the puppet masters out of real-world planes. And no, there’s no Windows Phone version.
Filed under: Transportation, Internet, Alt
Via: Net Security, Computerworld
Apr 07
With concern about Chinese hacking on the rise, Congress passed new restrictions on buying equipment from China last month as part of a funding bill. The measures ban some federal purchases of networked equipment “produced, manufactured or assembled” by any group with a strong connection to China. More »
Apr 04
Mar 31
Hacking is still a loaded concept for many, often conjuring negative images of corporate espionage, fraudsters and prank-minded script kiddies. PBS’ Off Book wants to remind us that hacking wasn’t always seen this way — and, thanks to modern developments, is mending its reputation. Its latest episode shows that hacking began simply as a desire to advance devices and software beyond their original roles, but was co-opted by a sometimes misunderstanding press that associated the word only with malicious intrusions. Today, hacking has regained more of its original meaning: hackathons, a resurgence of DIY culture and digital protests prove that hacks can improve our gadgets, our security and even our political landscape. We still have a long way to go before we completely escape movie stereotypes, but the mini-documentary may offer food for thought the next time you’re installing a custom ROM or building your own VR helmet.
Filed under: Misc, Networking, Internet, Alt
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