United Airlines’ ambitious rollout of free Starlink Wi-Fi has just encountered unexpected headwinds

Gigabit Systems

•

20 min read

Share this post

🛰️ Starlink Hits Turbulence: United Temporarily Shuts Down Wi-Fi on Regional Jets

United Airlines’ ambitious rollout of free Starlink Wi-Fi has just encountered unexpected headwinds.

Onboard connectivity has been shut down across all of United’s Embraer E175 regional jets equipped with Starlink—after pilots reported radio interference with critical aircraft communications.

The source? Static affecting VHF radios, which pilots use to talk with air traffic control.

What Happened?

United had recently installed Starlink antennas on nearly two dozen E175 aircraft. But shortly after deployment, pilots began noticing static and interference on their comms systems, prompting United to disable Starlink in-flight internet out of caution.

According to the airline:

Starlink does not pose a flight safety issue, but the interference requires fixing
United and Starlink have identified a solution and are rolling it out during regular maintenance cycles
Roughly one-third of affected planes have already been fixed and are back online

Why This Matters for Business and IT Leaders

At Gigabit Systems, we help companies evaluate real-world applications of satellite and emerging technologies—and this case is a strong reminder that:

✅ “Plug-and-play” rarely works at aviation or enterprise scale

✅ Interference isn’t always digital—it can be radio frequency (RF) based

✅ Even robust tech like Starlink needs fine-tuning for safety-critical environments

Whether you’re integrating IoT sensors, wireless comms, or remote connectivity into your operations, testing for side effects like cross-channel interference is vital.

What’s Next?

United plans to:

Resume full Starlink Wi-Fi service on the E175 fleet within weeks
Expand Starlink installs to 40 more E175s and the CRJ-550 fleet
Keep retrofitting its entire regional jet fleet by end of year
Offer free internet access via Starlink for MileagePlus members—no additional cost

The Bigger Lesson

Innovation isn’t just speed. It’s stability.

If your business is investing in satellite connectivity, Starlink, or any high-bandwidth wireless tech—don’t skip RF testing, compliance checks, or environment-specific tuning.

👇 Comment if you’ve experienced issues integrating wireless or satellite tech.

🔁 Share with a business or travel exec curious about Starlink’s commercial impact.

====================================

Follow me for mind-blowing information and cybersecurity news. Stay safe and secure!

Because 70% of all cyberattacks target small businesses—

I can help protect yours.

#Starlink #SatelliteTech #CyberSecurity #ManagedITServices #WiFiInnovation

Share this post

See some more of our most recent posts...

Cybersecurity

News

Tips

Cybercrime Crackdown: Ukraine Extradites Key Ryuk Hacker to U.S.

June 19, 2025

•

20 min read

Cybercrime Crackdown: Ukraine Extradites Key Ryuk Hacker to U.S.

A global ransomware ring faces justice as cybercriminal responsible for over 2,400 attacks is handed over to U.S. authorities

In a decisive move against cybercrime, Ukrainian authorities have extradited a member of the infamous Ryuk ransomware gang to the United States. The extradition follows the hacker’s arrest in Kyiv and confirms international coordination in combating large-scale digital threats that have cost organizations over $100 million worldwide.

This individual is tied to more than 2,400 cyberattacks targeting companies across the U.S., France, Norway, Germany, and Canada. These attacks leveraged encryption viruses to paralyze systems and extort cryptocurrency in exchange for data decryption.

Why This Matters to Your Organization

Whether you’re managing a healthcare practice, law firm, school, or small business, this story is a clear wake-up call:

Ransomware isn’t just a risk for billion-dollar corporations — it’s targeting anyone with a network and data.

Many of the affected companies were compromised through common vulnerabilities:

Poor password hygiene
Unpatched systems
Remote desktop exposure
Lack of incident response planning

The Ryuk gang’s tactics emphasize how attackers infiltrate quietly, encrypt rapidly, and demand high ransom, often draining critical resources.

Lessons for SMBs and IT Leaders

Review your endpoint defenses. Advanced ransomware detection tools like EDR and XDR should be in place.
Conduct vulnerability scans. Don’t wait for hackers to find the gaps — find them first.
Back up your data. Maintain offsite, immutable backups tested for recovery.
Train your staff. Social engineering remains the most common entry point.
Monitor your network. Use behavioral analytics and 24/7 monitoring to spot anomalies.

The arrest of one Ryuk operator is a win — but many others are still operating. This isn’t the end of the story. It’s a reminder:

If your data isn’t protected, it’s already a target.

====================================

Follow me for mind-blowing information and cybersecurity news. Stay safe and secure!

====================================

70% of all cyber attacks target small businesses. I can help protect yours.

#Cybersecurity #Ransomware #ITSecurity #ManagedIT #SmallBusinessSecurity

Tips

Cybersecurity

News

Loose Change, Leaked Data

June 19, 2025

•

20 min read

Loose Change, Leaked Data

Three Major Banks Just Got Breached — Is Your Info Next?

In the latest reminder that even industry giants aren’t immune, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and TD Bank have each reported breaches affecting customer financial and personal data.

While each incident involved relatively few individuals on paper, the nature of the compromised information — Social Security numbers, account numbers, transaction histories, and more — should be a red flag for anyone who trusts big institutions to keep their data locked down.

What Happened?

Chase reported four separate incidents involving employees accessing customer accounts without authorization, and accidentally displaying transaction data from one customer to another.
Bank of America lost documentation in transit that included a customer’s full identity and banking info.
TD Bank revealed that a former employee accessed sensitive customer data for over a month — including SSNs and account activity.

What It Means for SMBs, Schools, Healthcare, and Law Firms

This isn’t just a “big bank problem.”

If global institutions with robust compliance teams and security budgets can fall victim to insider threats, data mishandling, and process failures, what’s protecting your business?

Small businesses often skip layered security controls like:

Role-based access
Insider threat detection
Encryption-at-rest policies
Regular data access audits

…because they assume, “We’re too small to be a target.”

But it’s precisely this false sense of security that attackers — and even negligent employees — exploit.

Don’t Be the Next Data Breach Headline

If your employees have more access than they need, if you don’t know who accessed what and when, or if you’re not running regular security reviews and audits — you’re running blind.

➡️ Gigabit Systems helps businesses of all sizes lock down sensitive data, monitor user behavior, and ensure you pass compliance checks with confidence.

Let’s protect your clients, your reputation, and your future — before your name ends up in a breach notification.

=============================

Follow me for mind-blowing information and cybersecurity news. Stay safe and secure!

70% of all cyber attacks target small businesses. I can help protect yours.

News

Tips

Cybersecurity

Work Smarter, Not Harder: 9 Tasks ChatGPT Can Do For You!

June 18, 2025

•

20 min read

Work Smarter, Not Harder: 9 Tasks ChatGPT Can Do for You

Let AI handle the grunt work—so you can focus on what matters

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape how we live and work, small business owners, legal professionals, healthcare providers, and educators are discovering that ChatGPT isn’t just for techies or curiosity—it’s a productivity powerhouse.

From planning projects to breaking down complex topics, AI can eliminate hours of low-value tasks. Here are nine real-world use cases where ChatGPT can save you time—and make your workday smoother.

1. Writing Professional Emails

Struggling to find the right tone or words? ChatGPT can draft clear, polished emails in seconds. All you need to do is give it context. Want it warmer? More assertive? It adjusts with just a prompt. Final touch? Make it sound like you.

2. Generating Itineraries & Schedules

Need to plan a business trip or onboarding agenda? Skip the hours of research. ChatGPT can create detailed schedules or travel plans tailored to your needs—down to daily breakdowns and preferences.

3. Explaining Complex Concepts Simply

Whether it’s HIPAA compliance or DNS filtering, ChatGPT breaks down difficult topics into bite-sized explanations—great for onboarding, team training, or even client education.

4. Helping with Big Decisions

AI won’t make your life choices, but it can help clarify them. Need to weigh a job offer? Decide on a software vendor? ChatGPT helps you map pros and cons logically—minus the emotional fog.

5. Breaking Down Projects Strategically

Whether launching a new service or redesigning your website, ChatGPT can outline a full project plan, set milestones, and help organize your next steps.

6. Compiling Research Notes

Instead of clicking through dozens of tabs, ChatGPT summarizes topics, builds timelines, and even creates profiles or comparisons for you. It’s your research assistant—without the payroll.

7. Summarizing Content

From meeting transcripts to 5,000-word legal blogs, ChatGPT delivers crisp summaries that highlight what matters. Perfect for professionals who need to stay informed without spending hours reading.

8. Creating Flashcards or Study Guides

Whether you’re onboarding new staff or prepping for a certification exam, ChatGPT can generate flashcards in Q&A or multiple-choice formats to help lock in learning fast.

9. Practicing for Interviews

Need to prep for a client pitch, investor meeting, or hiring interview? Let ChatGPT play mock interviewer—customizing questions, offering feedback, and helping you polish responses in real time.

Final Thoughts

AI isn’t here to replace you—it’s here to empower you. Businesses that know how to delegate to automation tools will outpace competitors still doing everything manually. Whether you run a clinic, a law firm, or a school, start small—automate one task. Then scale up.

====================================

Follow me for mind-blowing information and cybersecurity news. Stay safe and secure!

70% of all cyber attacks target small businesses, I can help protect yours.