Missing Malaysian jet could be 'first cyber-hijack' using mobile phone, says expert

An anti-terror expert has reportedly observed that the ill-fated Malaysia Airline passenger jet could have been hijacked using a mobile phone or a USB stick.

A former scientific adviser in Britain's Home Office, Dr Sally Leivesley, opined that it might well be the world's first 'cyber hijack'.

According to news.com.au, the expert said that with new data emerging it was more likely that the control of some systems was taken over in a deceptive manner, either manually by someone sitting in a seat overriding the autopilot, or via a remote device turning off or overwhelming the systems.

She pointed that mobile phone or a USB stick could have been used by the hacker to potentially change the plane's altitude, speed and direction by sending radio signals to its flight management system.

Leivesley explained that it was possible for hackers to get into main computer network of the plane through the in-flight, on-board entertainment system, adding that whoever was responsible for the plane's disappearance likely has a 'very sophisticated systems engineering understanding'.

The report said that such an exploit was demonstrated at a security conference last April by security expert and former pilot Hugo Teso, who claimed that a plane could be hijacked using an Android smartphone.

Teso had revealed that one could use the system to modify approximately everything related to the navigation of the plane.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has confirmed that flight MH370's disappearance was 'consistent with deliberate action' and said that authorities were refocusing their investigation into the crew and passengers on board, the report added.