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Host Maria Varmazis and producer Ethan Cook revisit GPS with a lens on how this service is compromised and abused by actors across the globe. They explain GPS jamming and spoofing, then look at the common attack vectors, their end outcomes, and how these attacks are often used in the modern context.
This week on T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing: we dive into two of the most common ways actors target GPS signals. Whether it be through jamming or spoofing attacks, actors are increasingly utilizing these vectors to disrupt communications, sow confusion, and engage more effectively in war operations.
Does this newsletter spark questions for you? Write to us at space@n2k.com to guide how we’ll continue to explore GPS attacks in future podcast episodes and newsletter issues.
When assessing attacks against GPS, it’s critical to note first that these attacks target the weak signals on the ground and not the satellites themselves.
We can categorize most methods against GPS signals into two categories:
Each of these attack vectors are actively utilized across the globe, for example, to disrupt drone attacks, as seen in the Ukraine war, or to sow confusion, such as for shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz. But before we examine the real-world impacts of these attacks, it is important to understand what they are and how they are distinct from each other.
GPS jamming involves using a signal jamming device that will block, jam, or interfere with legitimate signals. These jamming devices interfere with legitimate signals, usually by overpowering them to drown out weaker, legitimate signals. This is similar to how a foghorn prevents people from hearing bird calls.
GPS spoofing, also known as GPS simulation, manipulates or tricks GPS receivers by broadcasting fake GPS signals. Through these fake signals, attackers can undermine the reliability of GPS data which could potentially allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems that rely on location-based authentication or worsen critical situations by disrupting logistical and emergency services. If GPS jamming is like a foghorn drowning out bird calls, then GPS spoofing is akin to creating fake calls to intentionally lead you in the wrong direction.
These attack techniques are not confined to conflict areas, but rather are used as a way to sow disruption into civilian life and degrade critical infrastructure systems regardless of their location.
When looking at how these attacks manifest themselves in the real world, it is important to remember that GPS supports far more than navigation. Today, GPS serves as a foundational technology underpinning transportation networks, telecommunications infrastructure, financial systems, emergency services, and military operations with timing and positioning data.
Recent events demonstrate how these risks are evolving in the modern context.
The two conflict zone examples demonstrate how reliable positioning data can easily become disrupted with effects that could extend well beyond a contested region.
As dependence on GPS continues to grow, so too do the concerns of attacks and compromise. Policymakers, military leaders, and infrastructure operators are increasingly exploring modernization tools, alternative navigation technologies, and backup systems to reduce reliance on insecure technologies. Ultimately, GPS disruptions serve as a reminder that much of the world’s critical infrastructure sectors rely on these constellations. As adversaries continue to explore new ways to target and degrade these technologies, conversations around securing them will become just as important both for governments and private industries.
The news stories we’re reading and thinking about this week.
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