In a recent development, cybersecurity experts have highlighted a concerning trend in digital attacks that can disrupt commercial aircraft. These attacks are now not only targeting navigation systems but also affecting the time-related operations of aircraft.
According to the OPSGROUP Aviation Consultative Group, there has been a significant increase in GPS spoofing cases affecting commercial airliners, with a reported 400% rise in recent months. Most of these incidents occur near conflict zones, where illegal ground systems transmit false coordinates to confuse drones and missiles.
While GPS is commonly known for providing coordinates, it is also a crucial source of accurate time for various systems. At the Def Con conference in Las Vegas, Ken Munro, the founder of Pen Test Partners, highlighted instances where onboard clocks of aircraft experienced anomalies. In a recent case, a Western airliner’s clock suddenly jumped several years ahead, leading to a loss of communication through encrypted channels. The aircraft remained disabled for weeks until engineers manually restored its systems.
Traditionally, GPS has replaced costly ground-based devices that transmitted radio signals for landing planes. However, the ease with which GPS signals can be blocked or distorted using inexpensive equipment and minimal technical expertise is a cause for concern.
Although such attacks may not directly result in aircraft crashes, they can create confusion onboard, potentially triggering a chain of events that could escalate from minor to serious incidents.