A new danger in the skies? Hacker takes control of airplane's engine mid-flight

Chris Roberts under Federal investigation for hacking incident

A new document filed in U.S. federal court reveals that an airplane's engines were hacked mid-flight by a well known American hacker, using of all things, its inflight entertainment system.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Chris Roberts, a cyber security consultant, told the F.B.I. that he had been able to take control of an airplane's engines, and also had hacked into about 20 other airplanes using just their inflight entertainment systems while he was aboard.

Reportedly, the federal agents contacted Roberts after he posted on Twitter that he had managed to hack into the plane he was flying in back in April.

Roberts has been interviewed over three times by the F.B.I. in 2015 and is currently under investigation regarding the hacking incident, though he has not been charged with any crime.

Roberts is the founder of One World Labs and is considered an expert on cyber security issues.

Federal agents seized several electronic items from Roberts after he arrived in Syracuse New York from Chicago on April 15.

During interviews with the F.B.I. earlier this year, Roberts claimed to have hacked about 15 to 20 airplanes between 2011 and 2014, including tacking control of one craft's thrust management system which allowed him temporary control over the engines.

"He stated that he successfully commanded the system he had accessed to issue the 'CLB' or climb command. He stated that he thereby caused one of the airplane engines to climb resulting in a lateral or sideways movement of the plane during one of these flights," said one affidavit from the report, signed by F.B.I. agent Mike Hurley.

Roberts also revealed that he had managed "to monitor traffic from the cockpit system" via hacking internal networks with his laptop and an Ethernet cable.

Federal investigators seized Roberts' equipment because they believe he could pose a threat to public safety by tampering with airplane systems.

"We believe Roberts had the ability and the willingness to use the equipment then with him to access or attempt to access the (inflight entertainment system) and possibly the flight control systems on any aircraft equipped with an (inflight entertainment system) and it would endanger the public safety to allow him to leave the Syracuse airport that evening with that equipment," the F.B.I.'s warrant application states.

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