Rule2025-03493
Special Conditions: Universal Avionics; Electronic System Security Protection From Unauthorized External Access
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 5, 2025
Effective
March 5, 2025
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
These special conditions are issued for a supplemental type certificate (STC) to install a digital systems architecture on certain transport category airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by Universal Avionics, will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport-category airplanes. This design feature is a digital systems architecture that will allow increased connectivity to and access from external network sources (e.g., operator networks, wireless devices, internet connectivity, service provider satellite communications, electronic flight bags, etc.) to the airplane's previously isolated electronic assets (networks, systems, and databases). The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 42 (Wednesday, March 5, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 5, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11211-11212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-03493]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 42 / Wednesday, March 5, 2025 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 11211]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2024-2640; Special Conditions No. 25-874-SC]
Special Conditions: Universal Avionics; Electronic System
Security Protection From Unauthorized External Access
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for a supplemental type
certificate (STC) to install a digital systems architecture on certain
transport category airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by Universal
Avionics, will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to
the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for
transport-category airplanes. This design feature is a digital systems
architecture that will allow increased connectivity to and access from
external network sources (e.g., operator networks, wireless devices,
internet connectivity, service provider satellite communications,
electronic flight bags, etc.) to the airplane's previously isolated
electronic assets (networks, systems, and databases). The applicable
airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety
standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the
additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary
to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the
existing airworthiness standards.
DATES: This action is effective on Universal Avionics on March 5, 2025.
Send comments on or before April 21, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2024-2640 using
any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> and
follow the online instructions for sending your comments
electronically.
<bullet> Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30, U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
<bullet> Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
<bullet> Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> at any time. Follow the online instructions for
accessing the docket or go to Docket Operations in Room W12-140 of the
West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington,
DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thuan T. Nguyen, Avionics Software and
Components Unit, AIR-626D, Technical Policy Branch, Aircraft
Certification Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 2200 South
216th Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198; telephone and fax (206)
231-3365; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#095d617c6867275d27476e7c706c67496f6868276e667f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4b1f233e2a25651f65052c3e322e250b2d2a2a652c243d">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The substance of these special conditions
has been published in the Federal Register for public comment in
several prior instances with no substantive comments received.
Therefore, the FAA finds, pursuant to 14 CFR 11.38(b), that new
comments are unlikely, and notice and comment prior to this publication
are unnecessary.
Privacy
Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in title
14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 11.35, the FAA will post all
comments received without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, including any
personal information you provide. The FAA will also post a report
summarizing each substantive verbal contact received about these
special conditions.
Confidential Business Information
Confidential Business Information (CBI) is commercial or financial
information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by
its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552),
CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to
these special conditions contain commercial or financial information
that is customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as
private, and that is relevant or responsive to these special
conditions, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and the indicated comments will not be
placed in the public docket of these special conditions. Send
submissions containing CBI to the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section above. Comments the FAA receives, which are
not specifically designated as CBI, will be placed in the public docket
for these special conditions.
Comments Invited
The FAA invites interested people to take part in this rulemaking
by sending written comments, data, or views. The most helpful comments
reference a specific portion of the special conditions, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data.
The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date for
comments. The FAA may change these special conditions based on the
comments received.
Background
On February 19, 2024, Universal Avionics applied for an STC to
install the Solid-State Data Transfer Unit Plus (SSDTU+) in the
airplanes listed on the approved model list (AML) for STC No.
ST04656CH. Universal Avionics may periodically amend this STC to expand
its applicability to include additional transport-category airplane
makes and models.
[[Page 11212]]
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.101, Universal Avionics must show that the airplanes, for which
they make application to modify by FAA STC No. ST04656CH, as changed,
continue to meet the applicable provisions of the regulations listed in
each airplane's respective type certificate or the applicable
regulations in effect on the date of application for the change except
for earlier amendments as agreed upon by the FAA.
If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness
regulations (e.g., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or
appropriate safety standards for the listed airplanes because of a
novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed
under the provisions of Sec. 21.16.
Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which
they are issued. Should the applicant apply for an STC to modify any
other model included on the same type certificate to incorporate the
same novel or unusual design feature, these special conditions would
also apply to the other model under Sec. 21.101.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the airplanes listed in the AML must comply with the
exhaust-emission requirements of 14 CFR part 34, and the noise-
certification requirements of 14 CFR part 36.
The FAA issues special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19, in
accordance with Sec. 11.38, and they become part of the type
certification basis under Sec. 21.101.
Novel or Unusual Design Features
The airplanes listed on the AML in STC No. ST04656CH will
incorporate the following novel or unusual design feature:
The installation of a digital systems architecture that will allow
increased connectivity to and access from external network sources,
(e.g., operator networks, wireless devices, internet connectivity,
service provider satellite communications, electronic flight bags,
etc.) to the airplane's previously isolated electronic assets
(networks, systems, and databases).
Discussion
The electronic system architecture and network configuration change
of the airplanes listed on the AML is novel or unusual for commercial
transport airplanes because it may allow increased connectivity to and
access from external network sources, airline operations, and
maintenance networks, to the airplane control domain, and airline
information services domain. The airplane's control domain and airline
information-services domain perform functions required for the safe
operation and maintenance of the airplane. Previously, these domains
had very limited connectivity with external network sources. This data
network and design integration creates a potential for unauthorized
persons to access the airplane's control domain and airline
information-services domain and presents security vulnerabilities
related to the introduction of computer viruses and worms, user errors,
and intentional sabotage of airplane electronic assets (networks,
systems, and databases) critical to the safety and maintenance of the
airplane.
The existing FAA regulations did not anticipate these networked
airplane-system architectures. Furthermore, these regulations and the
current guidance material do not address potential security
vulnerabilities, which could be exploited by unauthorized access to
airplane networks, data buses, and servers. Therefore, these special
conditions ensure that the security (i.e., confidentiality, integrity,
and availability) of the airplane's systems is not compromised by
unauthorized wired or wireless electronic connections. This includes
ensuring that the security of the airplane's systems is not compromised
during maintenance of the airplane's electronic systems. These special
conditions also require the applicant to provide appropriate
instructions to the operator to maintain all electronic-system
safeguards that have been implemented as part of the original network
design so that this feature does not allow or introduce security
threats. These special conditions contain the additional safety
standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a
level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing
airworthiness standards.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to
airplanes listed in the AML of STC No. ST04656CH. Should Universal
Avionics apply at a later date for another STC, to include another
airplane model with the same novel or unusual design feature, these
special conditions would also apply to that model as well. These
special conditions are not applicable to those airplane models for
which special conditions for protection from unauthorized external
access have already been issued to the type certificate for those
specific models.
These special conditions are only applicable to design changes
applied for after its effective date.
Conclusion
This action affects only a certain novel or unusual design feature
for airplane models listed on the AML of STC No. ST04656CH, as modified
by Universal Avionics. It is not a rule of general applicability and
affects only the applicant.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Authority Citation
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, and
44704.
The Special Conditions
[ssquf] Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by
the Administrator, the following special conditions are issued as part
of the type certification basis for the airplane models listed on the
approved model list of STC No. ST04656CH, as modified by Universal
Avionics.
1. The applicant must ensure airplane electronic system security
protection from access by unauthorized sources external to the
airplane, including those possibly caused by maintenance activity.
2. The applicant must ensure that electronic system security
threats are identified and assessed, and that effective electronic
system security protection strategies are implemented to protect the
airplane from all adverse impacts on safety, functionality, and
continued airworthiness.
3. The applicant must establish appropriate procedures to allow the
operator to ensure that continued airworthiness of the aircraft is
maintained, including all post type certification modifications that
may have an impact on the approved electronic system security
safeguards.
Issued in in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 27, 2025.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Policy Branch, Policy and Standards Division,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-03493 Filed 3-4-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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