and that the only "connections" between the flight critical networks and the passenger-accessible ones are that some hardware components of each may share common POWER sources.

But having spent 20 years (d**n I'm getting old) doing networking and computer security for a living, I'd never design it this way, and I'd be VERY nervous of flying on a plane set up this way.

Hopefully this idea (if accurate) will go away when Boeing finalizes FIPS or Common Criteria certification for the flight critical network and realizes that they REALLY don't want to spend the $$$ to get FIPS ratings for the in-flight entertainment servers.

Bob