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Transatlantic flight turns back after phone-spoofed bomb threat

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  • Transatlantic LOT flight forced to turn back to Warsaw after bomb threat
  • Bomb threat proves to be a hoax, with a celebrity implicated
  • Phone spoofing believed to be at play

On August 11, 2024, LOT Polish Airlines (LO/LOT) flight LO11 from Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) to New York’s Newark Airport (EWR) was forced to return to Warsaw due to a bomb threat. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, registered as SP-LRC, departed Warsaw at 15:32 UTC and climbed to a cruising altitude of 36,000 feet. Approximately 780 miles into its journey, near the town of Norheim, north of Stavanger, Norway, the flight made a 180-degree turn and began its return to Warsaw. The aircraft landed safely back in Warsaw at 16:58 UTC. The bomb threat was later determined to be a hoax.

LOT Flight 11's round trip to Warsaw Chopin

What caused the bomb threat?

The bomb threat that forced the diversion of LO11 was later revealed to be part of a phone spoofing incident, with the threat call originating from a number associated with Michał “Boxdel” Baron, a Polish influencer. Baron, along with several others, was detained by the police following the incident. However, it soon emerged that Baron was likely a victim of “Caller ID Spoofing,” a cybercrime technique where attackers manipulate the caller ID to display a false identity. In this case, the perpetrators used Baron’s phone number to falsely report a bomb on board the aircraft. 

Baron, who is well-known as one of the owners of the freak-fight federation Fame MMA, was released after giving his statement to the authorities. His phone was secured by the police for further analysis, and he was officially recognized as a victim in this case. This incident follows a similar spoofing attack earlier in the year involving another Polish public figure, Krzysztof Stanowski.

The case has garnered significant attention, not only because of the high-profile individuals involved but also due to the serious nature of the false alarm. The Polish prosecutor’s office has taken up the investigation, with a focus on identifying the individuals responsible for the spoofing attack. As of now, eight people have been detained in connection with the case, and the authorities are considering multiple charges under the Polish Penal Code, which stipulates severe penalties for causing public alarm through false reports

Phone spoofing vs. GPS Spoofing

Whilst we don’t know much about phone spoofing, we can talk about another kind of spoofing! Phone spoofing is not a dissimilar problem to GPS spoofing, an increasingly prevalent issue in aviation. GPS spoofing consists of transmitting a look-alike signal that GPS receivers will decode to place an aircraft at an incorrect position and/or time. GPS Spoofing is a 100% deliberate action. Spoofing can only be caused by purpose-built devices which have their origins in military operations, or can be built by individuals with nefarious intent.

For a clearer view of GPS jamming and spoofing around the world, check out our GPS Jamming Map.

Cover photo: Chaichai, JetPhotos.

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