Saturday Security: Evil Twin Attack at 30,000 Feet with Fake Wi-Fi on a Delta Flight

 

This week's Saturday Security Story takes us 30,000 feet in the air — and it's a fascinating one. A fake Wi-Fi network appeared on a Delta flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta — and not just any flight. This was a plane leaving the notorious Black Hat conference and DEF CON — two of the world's biggest cybersecurity events. If you're going to pull a stunt like this, that's quite an audience to pick. A passenger had created a network impersonating Delta's onboard Wi-Fi, prompting the airline to shut down legitimate onboard Wi-Fi for approximately 30 minutes while the situation was addressed. The good news: Delta confirmed no aircraft systems or flight safety systems were affected and there was no actual breach of Delta's own infrastructure. But here's why it matters — this is a classic Evil Twin Attack. A fake access point deliberately named to mimic a trusted network — designed to trick unsuspecting users into connecting and potentially exposing their passwords, browsing data, and personal information to whoever controls the rogue hotspot. This week's big takeaway: Never automatically trust the Wi-Fi name you see. Verify the network before you connect — especially in airports, hotels, conference centers, and yes — at 30,000 feet. https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/08/11/def-con-dingus-suspected-of-trying-to-take-over-delta-in-flight-wi-fi/5286331 🗓️ Week ending August 15th, 2026 👤 Hosted by Peter