DIGITAL LIFE

Having a private jet hacked is easier than it looks; know why

In 2018, 81% of private jets using Satcom Direct services suffered at least one hacking attempt;
Visitors who open a phishing email on the plane may compromise aircraft security and allow the virtual attack;
The company's cyber security director says high-net worth CEOs are hackers' prime targets.
When you're in your own jet, with your own pilots and flight attendants who have gone through all kinds of background checks, you're safe. Time to start a business or just relax and chat with your guests.
Josh Wheeler, director of cyber security solutions at Satcom Direct, says that's not the case. He points out that last year, 81% of the 600 private jets using their protection services suffered at least one attempted invasion.
If that doesn't scare you, he reinforces that the chances of being vulnerable are higher than you think. Companies work hard to protect corporate laptops and cell phones, but a guest or employee using a smartphone or personal computer who logs in to their private jet's wifi and opens a phishing email can compromise security.
Wheeler says that, for most high-end CEOs, jets must have performance and comfort. For the corporate flight department, the focus is on aviation safety and operational excellence.
In many companies, corporate security does not necessarily see boss jet intrusion as part of its scope, mainly because they are probably overwhelmed trying to keep up with increasingly sophisticated cyberterrorists.
About SD's portfolio of cyber security services, Wheeler says it takes more than two decades of connectivity experience to audit your jet and discover weaknesses in your defenses and connect them.
The company's customers include commercial aviation, military, government, and heads of state. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, Satcom Direct has offices in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Australia, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa.
“Whether you are on the ground or in the air, if you can see the internet, hackers can see you,” says the director.

Still not convinced?
Wheeler stresses that attempts to break into private jets are not necessarily accidental, they are in the wrong place at the wrong time, but are specifically targeted at targets.
High-level, critical threats increased 54 percent last year, he says. Both can cause what he describes as "serious long-term damage to corporate networks."
Satcom Direct services begin with risk assessment and include threat monitoring, up to the ability to route your jet connection through an SD private network. They also provide training for members of their flight department.
The programs start at $ 795 per month, and other services range from $ 20,000 to $ 30,000 per year.
He quotes from IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, who said: "Cyber ​​crime, by definition, is the biggest threat to every profession, every industry, every business in the world."
For Wheeler, the biggest challenge is that CEOs, jet owners and wealthy people assume that their office already provides sufficient protection for hackers or they don't know this is a problem. In terms of cost, he notes, "It's less than jet owners spend on maintenance."

Doug Gollan