IG: FAA computers highly vulnerable

A new report released Wednesday by the Transportation Department's Inspector General said Federal Aviation Administration computers have been hacked many times in recent years, and warned that ongoing modernization efforts could increase vulnerabilities.

The IG said one attack partially shut down air-traffic data systems in Alaska. And in February, according to the IG, a cyber break-in resulted in the theft of personal information of 48,000 current and former agency employees. In addition, the report said that security tests identified 763 "high risk" vulnerabilities that could allow hackers access to FAA administrative systems.

Such entry, said the report, could provide a path to more-sensitive operational systems. The report also said that the increasing reliance of modernized systems on the Internet "is especially worrisome at a time when the nation is facing increased threats from sophisticated nation-state sponsored cyber attacks."

For more on threats to the FAA:
- see this Wall Street Journal article