Recently, three mishaps in recent years had a common cause of GPS interference which has emerged as one of the biggest challenges for seafaring vessels and aircraft.
About GPS Interference:
It refers to spoofing or jamming, two types of deliberate cyber-attacks on Global Positioning System (GPS) signals, which disrupt or deceive vehicles’ navigation systems.
While both are often used synonymously with each other, spoofing and jamming refer to slightly different kinds of interference.
GPS jamming, also known as GPS intervention, involves a device (jammer) emitting strong radio signals on GPS frequencies in order to overpower weaker signals. This disrupts the functioning of GPS systems by rendering receivers unable to determine location or time.
GPS spoofing involves a device transmitting signals on the same frequencies used by GPS satellites, overwhelming or blocking the GPS receivers from acquiring or maintaining the right satellite signals.
Unlike jamming, which disrupts signals entirely, spoofing deceives the receiver into trusting false data.
GPS interference can disrupt both military and civilian transport operations from afar, without physical confrontation.
GPS interference can occur due to various reasons, not all of them malicious.
These include electromagnetic radiation from nearby devices, adverse atmospheric conditions like ionospheric disturbances, solar activity (such as flares), and, of course, intentional jamming/spoofing.
Most often, countries with advanced electronic warfare capabilities and involved in an active conflict are responsible.
While interference may or may not be targeted at civilian vessels, those in the vicinity, relying on the same GPS infrastructure,are nonetheless susceptible.
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