A Delta Air Linesflight headed to Georgiawas the subject of a cybersecurity investigation after an unauthorized Wi-Fi network reportedly appeared onboard during the trip from Las Vegas to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The incident happened Monday, Aug. 10, on Delta Flight 591, according to the airline. Delta said there was no hack of the aircraft's systems and that the plane's flight-safety systems were not affected, according to CBS News.
Here's everything to know.
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What happened on the flight?
According to Delta, the crew detected what the airline believes was an unauthorized Wi-Fi network while the Boeing 757 was headed to Atlanta.
The aircraft's Wi-Fi service was shut down for approximately 30 minutes while the situation
was addressed. Delta said the flight continued safely and no emergency was declared with air traffic control.
The airline said it is investigating the incident and plans to work with federal law enforcement and aviation regulators as officials determine exactly what occurred.
Why is a fake Wi-Fi network concerning?
A fraudulent wireless network can be designed to resemble a legitimate network, potentially tricking people into connecting to it. Cybersecurity experts commonly refer to this type of setup as an "evil twin" attack, according to Kaspersky
If someone connects to a malicious network, an attacker may attempt to intercept information sent through the connection.
However, there is currently no indication in the information provided by Delta that passenger information was compromised during this flight.
What does this mean for flight safety?
Delta said the incident did not affect aircraft operating systems or the safety of the flight.
The Federal Aviation Administration also said it was aware of the report and was looking into it, while noting that a breach involving onboard Wi-Fi would not affect the airplane's flight-safety systems, according to CBS.
What happens next?
For now, the investigation remains ongoing. Delta said it is working to establish the complete facts surrounding the unauthorized network.
The airline has not reported a compromise of its aircraft operating systems, and officials have not publicly identified who created the network or why it appeared.
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia, covering food and entertainment. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Delta flight to Atlanta investigated after suspicious Wi-Fi network appears
