FAA: Boeing Dreamliner can be hacked

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. FAA says Boeing's efforts to let passengers on its Dreamliner 787 surf the Internet in flight means the plane's systems might be vulnerable to hackers.

In a rule published in the Federal Register, the Federal Aviation Administration says that the proposed IT architecture of the new mid-sized jetliner, designed to let passengers have Internet access while in the air, "allows new kinds of passenger connectivity to previously isolated data networks" such as flight control and navigation systems, and airline business and administrative support functions.

As a result, the rule states, "The proposed data network design and integration may result in security vulnerabilities from intentional or unintentional corruption of data and systems critical to the safety and maintenance of the airplane."

The FAA says that to "ensure the security, integrity, and availability" of flight critical systems, it will require Boeing to show that hackers and other unauthorized users cannot get access to them, before it will certify the craft as airworthy.

The requirement is contained in a "special conditions" rule that the FAA is empowered to make when it encounters novel aircraft designs and technologies that are not addressed by existing regulations and standards.

A Boeing spokesman told Wired.com that the company was aware of the problem and was working with the FAA on a solution that would be tested in March, when the Dreamliner makes its maiden flight.