In any event, attacking an airplane in the air is far more challenging than, say, attacking fixed infrastructure like a power grid. Santamarta said, “Critical infrastructure in motion, such as aircraft or vessels, usually requires a different kind of communications channel.” He suggested that an airplane’s satellite communications or other radio links “can be leveraged to launch attacks.”

The use of those potentially vulnerable satellite communications channels has significantly increased in the last five years. Airliner navigation is moving from ground-based radar to GPS systems connecting the cockpit directly to satellites, particularly at critical parts of a flight during takeoff and landing. In-flight WiFi in cabins also links to satellites, creating another opening for a hacker to use to enter the airplane.