GPS spoofing: how flights are being led astray
A Dubai-bound business jet from Europe flew into Iranian airspace with no clearance in September—due to a false signal on the aircraft navigation system. After about 20 planes faced similar issues, the Indian aviation regulator issued an advisory last week. Mint explains: It has to do with interference with the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), a key technology used for navigation and communication.
GNSS refers to a constellation of satellites providing signals that transmit positioning and timing data to GNSS receivers. These signals, however, can be vulnerable to interference due to their weak transmitting power. Under GNSS interference, also called GPS spoofing, hackers attempt to manipulate a user’s navigation system by sending counterfeit signals to a receiver antenna.
Such interference can severely impact the accuracy of the GPS-using device. According to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), GPS spoofing has risen since 2022 with increase in sophistication. So far, GPS spoofing in aviation has mainly been seen in areas around conflict zones but is also prevalent in the south and eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and Arctic area.
It has caused greater concern after about 20 business jets and commercial flights, including wide-body aircraft, reported GPS spoofing near the Iran-Iraq border in September. In fact, a business jet was reported to have ventured into Iranian airspace without clearance. According to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), GPS spoofing has risen since 2022 with increase in sophistication.
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