Feds Say That Banned Researcher Commandeered a Plane [telecom]

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Feds Say That Banned Researcher Commandeered a Plane

By Kim Zetter May 15 2015

A SECURITY RESEARCHER kicked off a United Airlines flight last month after tweeting about security vulnerabilities in its system had previously taken control of an airplane and caused it to briefly fly sideways, according to an application for a search warrant filed by an FBI agent.

Chris Roberts, a security researcher with One World Labs, told the FBI agent during an interview in February that he had hacked the in-flight entertainment system, or IFE, on an airplane and overwrote code on the plane=92s Thrust Management Computer while aboard the flight. He was able to issue a climb command and make the plane briefly change course, the document states.