Fears terrorists could use WiFi to hack into flight systems and bring down planes

The same internet access now available on most commercial flights makes it possible for hackers to bring down a plane, a US government watchdog warned.

The finding by the Government Accountability Office presents chilling new scenarios for passengers.

The report does not suggest it would be easy to do, or very likely.

But it points out that as airlines and the US Federal Aviation Administration attempt to modernise planes and flight tracking with internet-based technology, attackers have a vulnerability they could exploit.

A worst-case scenario is that a terrorist with a laptop computer would sit among the passengers and take control of the airplane using its passenger Wi-fi, said Congressman Peter DeFazio who is on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and requested the investigation.

"That's a serious vulnerability, and FAA should work quickly" to fix the problem, DeFazio said.