Wireless interference-free secure receive-only discrete control software

An apparatus comprising:

• a wireless interface;
• and
• at least one processing device configured to:
• determine whether an aircraft is connected to an external power source;
• responsive to determining that the aircraft is connected to the external power source, switch the wireless interface to a receive-only mode;
• receive, via the wireless interface at a first time, a first beacon packet containing first encrypted authentication information;
• receive, via the wireless interface at a second time, a second beacon packet containing second encrypted authentication information;
• perform a first authentication based on the first and second encrypted authentication information and arrival of the second beacon packet in a predetermined time window;
• responsive to performing the first authentication successfully, switch a test interface of flight control software of the aircraft to an enabled mode and perform a second authentication between the test interface and a source of the first and second beacon packets;
• responsive to performing the second authentication successfully, establish a secure two-way wireless communication connection between the test interface and the source of the first and second beacon packets and transmit, via the secure two-way wireless communication connection, first response packets from the test interface.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium containing instructions that when executed cause at least one processor to:

• determine whether an aircraft is connected to an external power source;
• responsive to determining that the aircraft is connected to the external power source, switch a wireless interface to a receive-only mode;
• receive, via the wireless interface at a first time, a first beacon packet containing first encrypted authentication information;
• receive, via the wireless interface at a second time, a second beacon packet containing second encrypted authentication information;
• perform a first authentication based on the first and second encrypted authentication information and arrival of the second beacon packet in a predetermined time window;
• responsive to performing the first authentication successfully, switch a test interface of flight control software of the aircraft to an enabled mode and perform a second authentication between the test interface and a source of the first and second beacon packets;
• responsive to performing the second authentication successfully, establish a secure two-way wireless communication connection between the test interface and the source of the first and second beacon packets and transmit, via the secure two-way wireless communication connection, first response packets from the test interface.