Instances of GPS interference on passenger aircraft, including ‘spoofing’ with false signals, are on the rise over conflict zones globally, including on India’s borders with Pakistan, a report from the OPSGROUP said recently.
About GPS Spoofing:
GPS spoofing, also known as GPSsimulation, refers to the practice of manipulating or tricking a GPS receiver by broadcasting false GPS signals.
Essentially, 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, from navigation to time synchronization and more.
How Does GPS Spoofing Work?
Itexploits the inherent vulnerabilities in the GPS infrastructure – the weak signal strength of GPS satellites.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) 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.
Typically, a GPS spoofer begins by acquiring a basic understanding of the victim’s GPS setup, including the types of signals it uses and how they are processed.
With that information, the attacker then sends counterfeit GPS signals that mimic the real ones.
These fake signals are stronger, causing the receiver to recognize them as authentic signals.
As a result, the victim’s GPS receiver ends up processing these counterfeit signals, leading to erroneous location information.
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