Boeing 747s still get critical updates via floppy disks
www.theverge.com
Security researchers get a rare look at the 747s avionics systems
  • AutoTL;DRBEnglish
    1•5 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    The Register reports that security researchers at Pen Test Partners recently got access to a British Airways 747, after the airline decided to retire its fleet following a plummet in travel during the coronavirus pandemic.

    The team was able to inspect the full avionics bay beneath the passenger deck, with its data center-like racks of modular black boxes that perform different functions for the plane.

    Pen Test Partners discovered a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive in the cockpit, which is used to load important navigation databases.

    A cybersecurity professor discovered a buffer overflow exploit onboard a British Airways flight last year.

    It’s more of a traditional network like you’d find inside an office building, and some of the latest airliners even receive software updates over the air.

    Boeing only just resumed production of its troubled 737 Max airplane after software glitches led to two fatal crashes that killed a total of 346 passengers and crew members.

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