GPS Spoofing: Disadvantages and GPS Security Advantages

This page covers GPS spoofing and GPS security to prevent spoofing. It mentions the drawbacks or disadvantages of GPS spoofing and the benefits or advantages of GPS security.

Introduction

As we are aware, GPS and GNSS technologies provide RF signals to GPS/GNSS receivers with the help of satellite constellations. These satellites transmit positioning and timing information to the receivers on Earth from various directions. The GPS/GNSS receivers use these satellite signals to determine their location in terms of latitude and longitude. GPS/GNSS helps in navigation through sea, land, and air, which is used by ships, vehicles, and aeroplanes.

It is easy to track GPS/GNSS receivers with the help of mobile/web apps.

Other technologies include Russian GLONASS, European Galileo, Chinese BeiDou, Japanese QZSS, and the Indian NAVIC system.

What is GPS Spoofing?

Spoofers transmit signals with more power compared to the weak GNSS/GPS signals received by receivers. Moreover, they carry false positioning information to make GPS receivers believe they are at a false location.

Following are the two types of GPS spoofing:

• Re-broadcast of GNSS/GPS signals recorded at some other place or time
• Hackers generate and transmit modified satellite signals to the target image.

Radio interference overpowers weak GNSS signals and causes signal loss and consequently, positioning loss. During a spoofing attack, a hacker’s radio transmitter located in near vicinity transmits fake GPS signals to the target receiver.

Example #1: If a smartphone is spoofed by a hacker, the smartphone user can be made to believe that they are on Mount Everest even if they are not.

Example #2: A ship can be hijacked by GPS spoofing by diverting its path of travel.

Example #3: Drones can be hijacked and redirected toward their own army.

There are many disadvantages of GPS spoofing which can be overcome by providing GPS security against spoofing. In this technique, fake GPS signals are identified and filtered before they can control the GPS receiver device. Other techniques involved identification of spoofed signal and authentic GNSS signal based their received power and signal processing algorithms.

Drawbacks or Disadvantages of GPS Spoofing

Following are the drawbacks or disadvantages of GPS Spoofing in various applications:

• Any GPS receiver can be attacked and hijacked to alter its course, such as ship hijacking.
• Any GPS-based drone can be attacked and turned towards its own army.
• Any mobile phone user can be attacked during travel. He/she can be routed to a new location without their knowledge and they can be looted.

Benefits or Advantages of GPS Security to Prevent Spoofing

Following are the benefits or advantages of GPS security implemented to prevent GPS spoofing:

• It prevents the hijacking of the GPS receiver device.
• It prevents theft of your vehicle and your valuables.
• It prevents the enemy from attacking you with your own drones.