Researchers at the University of California, San Diego and Oberlin College say they have demonstrated that a small, inexpensive device could be physically installed on a Boeing 737 and used to send spoofed commands to sensitive onboard systems. They argue that this exposes a potential security gap: a saboteur with brief access to an aircraft between flights might manipulate autopilot navigation or falsify data used by pilots, with potentially serious consequences.

The Wi-Fi-enabled prototype reportedly costs under $100, is roughly coin-sized and can be fitted in under a minute through an externally accessible port. The research took more than a decade and involved testing on purchased aircraft components and at a Boeing test facility; the team disclosed details to Boeing more than six years ago, while withholding the targeted port and some technical methods to limit misuse.