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Access Codes For United Cockpit Doors Accidentally Posted Online (techcrunch.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the whoopsie-daisy dept.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the access codes to United's cockpit doors were accidentally posted on a public website by a flight attendant. "[United Continental Holdings], which owns United Airlines and United Express, asked pilots to follow security procedures already in use, including visually confirming someone's identity before they are allowed onto the flight deck even if they enter the correct security code into the cockpit door's keypad," reports TechCrunch. From the report: The Air Line Pilots Association, a union that represents 55,000 pilots in the U.S. and Canada, told the WSJ on Sunday that the problem had been fixed. The notable thing about this security breach is that it was caused by human error, not a hack, and illustrates how vulnerable cockpits are to intruders despite existing safety procedures. The Air Line Pilots Association has advocated for secondary barriers made from mesh or steel cables to be installed on cockpits doors to make it harder to break into, but airlines have said that they aren't necessary.

5 of 109 comments (clear)

  1. In case you wondered... by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 4, Funny

    It is 0000

    1. Re:In case you wondered... by fph+il+quozientatore · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's amazing. I've got the same combination on my luggage!

      --
      My first program:

      Hell Segmentation fault

    2. Re: In case you wondered... by hviezda14 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Actually, system of PINs has been hacked. Attackers had revealed all the PINs on the Internet. You can check yours, but it's there! Why are we still using them, if anyone can find them online??? http://l33tn3rdz.deviantart.co...

    3. Re:In case you wondered... by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 3, Funny

      They might as well install a simple button instead of a keypad, it wouldn't make a difference.

      Unless the pilots are incapacitated and there's a terrorist onboard! Are you trying to get us all killed?!

      What if they put a call out for a doctor to treat the pilots and the online doctor onboard is a terrorist... wait, forget I said that, it's copyrighted and you can't have it because it's my screenplay now.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  2. The access code is by PSXer · · Score: 3, Funny

    1... 2... 3... 4........ 5