Fake Wi-Fi Network Posed as Delta’s Real Connection During Flight

A fake Wi-Fi signal was discovered on a Delta flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta on Monday. According to Delta, the unauthorized network was named “DELTA WIFI FAST” and appeared during the flight on August 10.

The flight crew who discovered the fake Wi-Fi believed that a passenger had set up the network to scam other passengers. The crew notified the airline after discovering the unauthorized network.

As shared by Airframes: “HEY ALERT CORP SECURITY WE HAVE A PAX ON THAT HAS CREATED A SCAM WIFI CALLED DELTA WIFI FAST WE BELIEVE THEY ARE TRYING TO SCAM THE OTH PAX.”

The aircraft’s Wi-Fi was then disabled for 30 minutes as a precaution.

No Hacking During Flight

Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant said in a statement on Tuesday that there was no hacking during the flight.

He said, “Safety of flight was never in question and no aircraft operating systems were affected. We are fully investigating to gather a complete set of facts, which will take time.”

Durrant also added that the fake Wi-Fi was only active for a short time.

Delta said that the flight was departing Las Vegas after Black Hat and DEF CON. These events are collectively known as “hacker summer camp.”

Currently, Delta is investigating the situation together with federal authorities and aviation regulators. 

What Could Go Wrong?

This is an example of an “evil twin” attack. The technique involves hackers creating a fake Wi-Fi network with a name similar to that of a legitimate connection. Once a device connects to the fake Wi-Fi, a hacker can probe the device’s vulnerabilities. It is also possible to redirect the user to a fake website that can steal sensitive information, such as login credentials or payment details.

In this situation, a hacker could have easily obtained a passenger’s SkyMiles login information, since passengers are expected to provide it to access the Wi-Fi.