Hacking Air Traffic Control Systems
The Wall Street Journal is reporting air traffic control networks have been attacked on multiple occasions in the past several years. The FAA doesn't agree with all the findings of the Transportation Department's inspector general who issued the report but the undisputed facts are troubling enough.
For example, an attack led to a partial shutdown air traffic systems in Alaska at one point. A modernization effort is underway. More intrusion detection is clearly needed:
The report warned that the FAA isn't well equipped to detect intrusions into its computer system, noting that it has detection sensors at only 11 of its 734 facilities across the country. All of those detectors are placed on administration or "mission support" systems, with no detectors on any of its operational systems, giving it little visibility into potential problems with operational networks, the report said.
It would be hard to overestimate the complexity of the air traffic control system and its links to administrative systems. This kind of complexity is itself part of the problem. Monolithic, centralized control systems can only get so complex before the weight of the complexity undermines their ability to function and adapt. A more fundamental redesign may be in order here.
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