New Report Raises Questions About Air Traffic Control

Press Release

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."

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