A columnist writing for a national newspaper has claimed that an individual has gained access to his computer while in midair and has read everything he has sent and received through email. The person who was able to do this was his co-passenger.
"I hacked your email on the plane and read everything you sent and received," the 'hacker' said.
Steven Petrow, a writer for USA Today, says that the hack happened while aboard a flight from North Carolina to Dallas. The writer claimed that he used his time midair working. Petrow claimed he was using American Airlines Gogo in-flight Internet connection to send and answer emails.
Petrow said he had no knowledge of the incident until after the flight, when the 'hacker' approached him and revealed his knowledge about Petrow's sent and received emails.
"I hacked your email on the plane and read everything you sent and received. I did it to most people on the flight," the 'hacker' claimed.
Gogo's Vice President of Communications Steve Nolan, according to the report by USA Today, said that the Internet connection offered by Gogo is public and "operates in the same ways as most open Wi-Fi hotspots on the ground."
This is something that Gogo wireless does not deny. In fact, the in-flight Internet connection provider warns users against transmitting sensitive data while on its network.
This, according to Petrow, is one of the reasons why people should give more importance about the Apple vs FBI case and why Apple believe it is already out of control.
"With a newfound personal interest in the topic, the following day I called Alex Abdo,an attorney in the ACLU's Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, to talk about why ordinary Americans should care about the Apple case.... If the government wins it would set a 'dangerous legal precedent ... that would force companies to build back doors into their products. It will be used hundreds and hundreds of times if it becomes lawful.,'" Petrow wrote.
