GPS Spoofing – Fake GPS Signals Growing Problem While Flying – News

This is becoming dangerous for civil aircraft, especially in critical areas.

What is it about? Aviation industry calls for measures against GPS spoofing GPS signals are jammed or falsified, for example in war zones such as Ukraine or the Middle East, which can divert aircraft. GPS signals sent by satellites are jammed by jammers on the ground to determine the aircraft's position. As a result, an incorrect position or altitude is displayed to the pilot. In extreme cases, tampering can even lead to total failure of the in-flight computer.

Why is it so dangerous? If the in-flight GPS display malfunctions and shows an incorrect position, pilots run the risk of getting lost and finding themselves in a war zone. If this happens, it may be classified as anti-aircraft by the belligerent and shot down. This is not the first time a civilian aircraft has been mistaken for an enemy military aircraft and fired upon.

Where is the danger of cheating now? Since the outbreak of war in Gaza, GPS signals have been severely disrupted in the area around Tel Aviv airport, for example, aviation security expert Marion Venus knows. As a result, air safety was heavily restricted there. Therefore, strong, additional security measures had to be taken in the Tel Aviv area for about two months.

Putin often finds himself in a bubble of deception.

Who Uses Cheating? False GPS signals are sent by warring parties to hide their own military positions or to misdirect attacking missiles or drones. Also: “We discovered that Vladimir Putin is often in a bubble of deception,” says Venus. The aim is to use electronic means to hide the current whereabouts of the Russian ruler. This means that it cannot be attacked by military means.

What do the authorities do? Aviation security officers are primarily responsible. They issue regularly updated warnings about where and to what extent pilots can expect GPS spoofing. Such warnings currently apply primarily to war zones in Ukraine and the Middle East. Official information includes information about the type of spoofing – whether it is related to the displayed altitude or geographic location. As a result, airspace restrictions are also imposed – meaning no flying over certain areas.

A spoofing signal comes from a single source, while a GPS signal comes from multiple satellites simultaneously.

Are technical measures feasible? Cybersecurity has long been extremely important in the aviation industry – think of the fact that the use of cell phones on airplanes has been banned for years. Accordingly, efforts are now being made to modify and reprogram onboard navigation devices so that they can quickly and clearly distinguish spoofed signals from a valid satellite GPS signal. It's actually not that complicated, says aviation expert Venus: “A decoy signal comes from one source, while a GPS signal comes from multiple satellites at the same time.”