A phone application that threatens security

[douglas9]

London: A cheap mobile phone application that can track the precise location of passenger aircraft in the sky can be a serious terrorist threat, security experts have claimed and called for its immediate ban.

The Plane Finder AR application, developed by a British firm for the Apple iPhone and Google's Android, allows users to point their phone at the sky and see the position, height and speed of nearby aircraft.

It also shows the airline, flight number, departure point, destination and even the likely course-the features which could be used to target an aircraft with a surface-to-air missile, or to direct another plane on to a collision course, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

The programme, sold for just 1.79 pounds in the online Apple store, has now been labelled an 'aid to terrorists' by security experts and the US Department of Homeland Security is also examining how to protect airliners.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/technology/a-phone-application-that-threatens-security-56673

[truedelphi]

1. A bigger problem is that if the devise is that cheap, even if it is banned

The ability for anyone to find a diagram of its components and blueprint to make one still exists.

And will be something that the terrorists will be easily able to do.

So even banning the devices won't help too much.

[customerserviceguy]

2. It's not even a device

It's an application. It's just software. No special manufacturing skills needed.

[truedelphi]

3. You are right.

Didn't think about it too much.

My household doesn't have cellphones or PD devices, otherwise I'd be more familiar.

[customerserviceguy]

4. All you need is something any hacker can find and use

to decompile the software, and just create a bootleg app that could be run on any sort of portable device, like a laptop.

[RC]

5. Sounds like BS to me.

Why don't they stop the manufacture of guns, ammunition and explosives? Terrorists use those to advantage also.

[Hawkeye-X]

6. I just bought it. Will check it out soon

and waiting for LEO to bust me :P

[Edweird]

7. Wow, that's cool. I don't have an android phone yet, but I want that app.

I have no use for it, but I enjoy being a 'subversive' :)

[leveymg]

8. Every commercial aircraft has a transponder that broadcasts on a set frequency. Anyone who can get

their hands on a ground to air missile would have no problems finding out how to receive that signal. If you have another plane fast enough to ram a commercial jet, it will already have such a receiver.

This article is asinine scaremongering.