FAA Report Raises Questions About Air Traffic Control
By Space Coast Daily // March 2, 2015
Sen. Nelson Raises Concerns
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new report by the investigative arm of Congress raises questions about the cybersecurity of our nation’s air traffic control system saying that weaknesses are “placing the safe and uninterrupted operation … at increased and unnecessary risk.”
The report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) came at the request of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), who is the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee.
“Of course, I’m alarmed,” Nelson told a CNN reporter today.
The Florida lawmaker said someone could potentially hack into the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) system and wreak havoc by causing delays, near misses or potentially even a disaster.
Nelson added he’s sending the FAA a letter today asking them to explain why this has happened; what they plan to do about it; and when they plan to have it corrected.
According to the GAO report,
“Until [the] FAA effectively implements security controls, establishes stronger agency-wide information security risk management processes, fully implements its NAS information security program, and ensures that remedial actions are addressed in a timely manner, the weaknesses GAO identified are likely to continue, placing the safe and uninterrupted operation of the nation’s air traffic control system at increased and unnecessary risk.”
Here’s a link to the GAO report.
