What is GPS spoofing?

About GPS spoofing:

• It is also known as GPS simulation, refers to the practice of manipulating or tricking a GPS receiver by broadcasting false GPS signals.
• It misleads the GPS receiver into believing it is located somewhere it is not, resulting in the device providing inaccurate location data. This form of cyberattack undermines the reliability of GPS data, which is vital for a variety of applications.
• It has evolved significantly over the years. Initially a theoretical threat, it has now become a practical concern due to the availability of inexpensive software and hardware capable of transmitting fake GPS signals.
• Spoofing is not the same as jamming. While jamming, as the name suggests, is when the GPS signals are jammed, spoofing is very different and way more threatening.
• Planes and other aircraft regularly deal with jamming while spoofing of the kind happening in the above-mentioned incidents has reportedly never been seen before.
• Working
  • GPS spoofing exploits the inherent vulnerabilities in the GPS infrastructure – the weak signal strength of GPS satellites.
  • The Global Positioning System functions by sending signals from satellites to GPS receivers on Earth.
  • These receivers then calculate their position based on the time it takes for these signals to arrive. However, due to the weak signal strength of the GPS satellites, these signals can be easily overwhelmed by fake signals, resulting in inaccurate location data on the receiving device.
• Impacts
  • It can have potentially catastrophic effects, particularly where navigation is concerned.
  • It has the potential to affect various industries extensively, including logistics and supply chain, telecommunications, energy, and defense.