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                Airport Codes Leaked onto Internet

TOKYO, (UPI) -- Passwords for restricted areas in 17 airports have been leaked onto the Internet from a Japan Airlines co-pilot's personal computer, the airline said Friday.

Japan's Transport Ministry notified the airline after it noticed Wednesday that passwords for 16 Japanese airports -- including the two serving Tokyo -- as well as for Guam International Airport had been posted on Internet bulletin boards, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Friday.

Moreover, the ministry confirmed that the Boeing 767 instruction manual had been leaked. JAL has asked the operators of the 17 airports to change their code numbers and tighten security.

The information was leaked from a computer that a 29-year-old Boeing 767 co-pilot kept at his home after it was infected with a computer virus. The co-pilot used the peer-to-peer file-sharing program Winny at home.

Three- to five-digit code numbers are used to unlock doors to restricted areas within the airports. However, ministry officials said there is not a route through which outsiders can go straight to aircraft without going through immigration.

JAL prohibits ground staff members from taking work-related information out of their offices, while setting guidelines for ways that crew members manage and take out such information.

         When the NEXT 9/11 comes - these things will STOP.

Comments

[Phoenix]

I've never heard of that program "Winny At Home". Is that like when you let the horse out of the barn and he comes in and pretends he's Wilbur on the computer?

Let's start a petition to fire journalism professors for not teaching proper syntax.