Delta Air Lines investigates rogue Wi-Fi network on Las Vegas flight

Delta Air Lines is investigating a cybersecurity incident on Flight 591, a Boeing 757 traveling from Las Vegas to Atlanta on August 10. An unauthorized Wi-Fi network, named ‘Delta WiFi Fast’, appeared on board, which experts identified as a potential ‘evil twin’ attack. This method involves creating a fraudulent access point to impersonate a legitimate network, often used to intercept data or deploy phishing pages.

The incident occurred shortly after the conclusion of the DEF CON 34 cybersecurity conference in Las Vegas. Crew members reportedly identified the rogue signal and used the ACARS system to alert corporate security, noting that the network appeared to be an attempt to scam passengers. In response, the cabin crew disabled the aircraft’s official Wi-Fi for approximately 30 minutes.

Delta Air Lines stated that the aircraft’s operating systems were not compromised and flight safety was never at risk. The airline is cooperating with federal authorities, including the FAA and FBI, to conduct a thorough investigation. While some reports suggest the use of specialized hardware like a Wi-Fi Pineapple to harvest credentials, officials have not yet confirmed the extent of any data theft.