Computer malware implicated in plane crash [deadly trojan]

Random plane crash picture.

TechNewsDaily writes that an internal report issued by Spanair has discovered malware (specifically a trojan) in the central computer system used to monitor technical problems in the aircraft. They say the infected computer failed to detect three technical problems with the aircraft, which if detected, may have prevented the plane from taking off.

Flight 5022 crashed just after takeoff from Madrid-Barajas International Airport in 2008, killing 154 and leaving only 18 survivors.

While this finding is certainly scary and raises a lot of security concerns, I can’t help but wonder: why the hell are they using publicly available mainstream operating systems on key computers in the first place? And why aren’t those computers completely isolated?

Everyone seems to be concerned about possible terrorists carrying weapons/bombs on a plane, but the airlines seem to have a callous disregard for human life.