Hoax Wi-Fi Discovered on Vegas Flight After Hacking Conference

Delta Air Lines is investigating an unauthorized Wi-Fi network that briefly appeared during one of its flights from Harry Reid International to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, according to Simple Flying. The incident happened on Monday (Aug. 10) — one day after this year’s DEF CON conference wrapped up at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

One time it is advisable to be extra cautious about cybersecurity in Las Vegas is before, during and immediately after its annual hacker convention. One of the world’s largest and longest-running such events, DEF CON draws thousands of cybersecurity professionals, researchers and “hobbyists” — some of whom enjoy showing off their skills in ways that make headlines like this one.

Lie-Fi

The unauthorized network was detected aboard Delta Flight 591, which departed Harry Reid International Airport at approximately 3:19 p.m. PT (about 31 minutes late) for Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

As a precaution, Delta said it disabled the aircraft’s Wi-Fi system for roughly 30 minutes, a step consistent with aviation cybersecurity protocols.

The airline said none of its systems were accessed, compromised or otherwise affected, and there is no evidence that the aircraft’s operational technology was targeted.

At the same time, the airline stopped short of making assurances about the security of any passengers who might have been fooled into logging onto the legitimate-appearing Delta Wi-Fi network.

The airline says it’s now working with federal law enforcement and aviation regulators to determine the origin of the rogue network; specifically, whether it was generated by specialized hardware, a misconfigured personal device, or an attempt to mimic an airline network to capture user credentials.

Incidents involving spoofed Wi Fi networks are a known cybersecurity risk, particularly in environments with large numbers of personal electronic devices seeking an internet connection.