Slashdot Mirror
US Says Plane Finder App Threatens Security
ProgramErgoSum writes "The Plane Finder AR application, developed by a British firm for the Apple iPhone and Google's Android, allows users to point their phone at the sky and see the position, height and speed of nearby aircraft. It also shows the airline, flight number, departure point, destination and even the likely course-the features which could be used to target an aircraft with a surface-to-air missile, or to direct another plane on to a collision course, the 'Daily Mail' reported. The program, sold for just 1.79 pounds in the online Apple store, has now been labelled an 'aid to terrorists' by security experts and the US Department of Homeland Security is also examining how to protect airliners. The new application works by intercepting the so-called Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcasts (ADS-B) transmitted by most passenger aircraft to a new satellite tracking system that supplements or, in some countries, replaces radar."
Haha, wish you sit on a plane which has been pointed at by an iPhone.
... instead of, say, the surface-to-air missiles
Hey, I have a right to bear arms. You iPhone users can git your own amendment or else you can git out!
Anyone with a SAM can see if a plane is right there! They don't need an iPhone app to tell them what they are looking at is a plane. Have they had issues with terrorists accidentally targeting endangered condors with missiles by mistake?
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I hope those terrorists don't know about the locations of any airports. Rumour has it that lots of planes fly near them...
Besides - I'm pretty sure you have to agree not to use your device for anything involving terrorism or nuclear or biological weapons when you sign up for your iTunes account. So terrorists couldn't use it anyway.
Wrong. I hear there's a hack out that bypasses the agreement dialogue. I hope Apple patches this before any terrorists commit any heinous crimes (like use flash).
My webcomic
Not very low budgets. I mean, they've got to afford the surface-to-air missiles first. But after the missiles all they had left was enough to buy an iPhone, a two-year contract, and a $2 app.
And hopefully some lunch, because they're just gonna walk outside and wait until a plane shows up overhead in range, and they're gonna get hungry sitting there.
Yeah, it is pretty bad. Still, this is the Daily Mail. Expecting quality English from them is like asking a lynch mob of confused and angry Mail readers to take off their shoes before storming a hospital to bring an end to their foul plot to use the MMR vaccine to bring about an Islamic caliphate in what used to be a very nice town in which children respected elders and England won the world cup every week.
-- Using the preview button since 2005
the single best time to shoot down a plane for a terrorist is when it's nearing it's terminus (either takeoff or landing)
-knock-knock-knock-
"Sir, you're under arrest for providing information terrorists might find useful. You have the right to..."
I'm fucking dangerous. I'm eating a carrot and reading the dictionary. I'm bugs bunny on a plane.
Fascism trolls keeping me up every night. When I starts a preachin', he HITS ME WITH HIS REICH!
No, not Tuesdays. If we're gonna ban any day, then it must be Mondays. I don't like Mondays.
And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour Isaiah 3:5
This is such a cool app, i want to know how far my GF is when she goes away ....by the distance and minute.... .....500 feet, 1000 feet, 1500 feet.......ok cost is clear she is really gone now...., call up the buddies for some poker!
>Bye dear........
>Ok