A government watchdog has warned that US air traffic control systems are vulnerable to hacking and interference, coinciding with flight disruptions at three major airports. The FAA grounded flights at Newark, Philadelphia, and Teterboro on Monday due to a radio equipment problem, while a GAO report highlighted significant security gaps.
The vulnerability of air traffic control systems to hacking and interference poses a significant risk to national security, the economy, and the safety of millions of air travelers, potentially leading to widespread disruptions and safety hazards.
Flights were halted at three major US airports on Monday due to a radio equipment problem, coinciding with a government watchdog's warning that air traffic control systems are vulnerable to cyber threats. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop for Newark Liberty International, Philadelphia International, and Teterboro airports around 10 a.m. ET, citing issues with radio frequencies at the Philadelphia terminal radar approach control (Tracon) that persisted into the early afternoon.
The disruption occurred as the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report detailing significant security weaknesses in the FAA's systems. The report found that the FAA has not completed risk assessments or updated security documentation to address threats like spoofing, jamming, and other attacks on the radio spectrum. Investigators warned that hackers could potentially send fraudulent messages, such as false flight clearance cancellations, posing risks to air travel safety and leading to delays.
Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, a member of the Senate intelligence committee, criticized the FAA's lack of secure communication standards, calling it a "major threat to US national security, to our economy and the safety of the flying public." He urged the FAA to issue new standards promptly. The GAO presented nine recommendations, including formal risk assessments for reviewed systems, continuous monitoring for interference, and improved information sharing, all of which the Department of Transportation, responding for the FAA, agreed to implement.
This incident follows previous issues at Newark, including a controller screen outage in April 2025. The GAO noted that the FAA manages approximately 44,000 flights daily. The report also highlighted instances of jamming and spoofing abroad, with Estonia and Finland accusing Russia of interfering with satellite navigation, an accusation Moscow denies.
Pick the topics you care about. Get only what matters, on your cadence.