[josephmosby]

"Air gapped" means that there is a physical separation between two networks (i.e., there's "air" between them). If two networks are physically connected, there is always a chance that someone could bypass any software security restrictions. If the two networks aren't physically connected, there's no way to gain access to one network from another.

In this instance, the inflight entertainment network and the avionics network were physically connected, and the security researcher was able to gain access to the avionics network by connecting to the inflight entertainment network.

[tobinfricke]

The phrase no longer makes literal sense in this day of ubiquitous wireless communications.

"If the two networks aren't physically connected, there's no way to gain access to one network from another" is no longer true.

[sliverstorm]

That's true, it's a bit of an anachronism. But everyone knows what it means.

Like skeuomorphism. Nobody uses floppy disks anymore, yet the floppy logo is universal for "save".

[vacri]

It's depressing that the various rounds of Win 10 logos floating around all use the floppy-for-save concept. Floppies haven't been in vogue at all this century.

[dragonwriter]

But "floppy for save" has been ubiquitous. Its not so much a skeumorph as a well-recognized ideograph.

[passwordreset]

The phrase makes literal sense. Radio is a physical connection. Computers can be built without the wireless transceivers in order to avoid that physical connection.

[bashinator]

As long as we're being overly literal and pedantic, I'd like to point out that wireless connections are still physical, in that they utilize physics to make the connection.