Security researcher Chris Roberts has told special agents he has repeatedly managed to access such things as the engine systems from his seat

The FBI are investigating claims a prominent computer hacker was able to take control of a flight he was on after infiltrating the cockpit through the plane’s on board Wi-Fi.

Security researcher Chris Roberts has told special agents he has repeatedly managed to access such things as the engine systems from his seat.

According to FBI papers the American claimed to have overwritten the plane’s Thrust Management Computer code making a flight from Denver he was on on April 15 briefly fly sideways after placing one of the jets into climb mode.

The FBI sent an agent to inspect the flight when it arrived in Philadelphia, where it had flown after Chicago.

The agent inspected the Seat Electronic Box below seats 2A and 2B and found evidence of damage and tampering.

Following interviews with an FBI agent in February, March and April, Roberts had two of his laptops confiscated, along with several hard drives and USB sticks.

Terminal and control tower at Philadelphia airport

However, the founder of security firm One World Labs was never charged in relation to his claims.

The shocking revelations come just a month after Roberts was detained by the FBI for tweeting he might hack the onboard systems of the domestic United Airlines flight he was travelling on.

He has told agents he will not attempt to hack the controls again.

Last month the FBI issued an alert to airlines to look for evidence of passengers attempting to use on-board Wi-Fi networks to access the plane’s controls.

The alert was posted to the FBI’s InfraGrad site and asks airline staff to be on guard.

It said: “Although the media claims remain theoretical and unproven, the media publicity associated with these statements may encourage actors to use the described intrusion methods.

“Attempting to gain unauthorised access to the on-board networks of a commercial aircraft violates federal law.”

• 17:10, 17 MAY 2015
• BY CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/fbi-probe-claims-hacker-controlled-5713406?

Categories: Cyber Security