Cyber security from I-Team investigation revealed that hackers could have the ability to shut down an airport’s security network just using a laptop.
It is embarrassing read that system designed to improve security of the airports could represent the entry point for attackers.
“Walking by these devices and knowing how poorly secure they are, it doesn’t sit well with me,” explained the popular cyber security expert Billy Rios. “It’s pretty bad — probably no thought has been given to cyber security at all.”
In 2013, Billy Rios tested various machines deployed at airports throughout the world discovering numerous security vulnerabilities. The list of machines tested includes an X-ray scanner, an explosives detector, also known as itemiser, and a time clock.
Rios explained that the vulnerabilities affecting the machine could be exploited to access the airport’s network, for example, is discovered very common to discover hard-coded passwords into the software running on these security systems.
“So anyone that knew the username and password, which we know, could just log into the device and get access to an airport network,” said Rios. “It just takes one second to abuse some of the vulnerabilities that we’ve seen.”
The unauthorized access to an X-ray machine could be exploited by a terrorist or a criminal to hide weapons from screeners.
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