Safety and Security in Global Navigation Satellite Systems

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is currently the most widely spread and most used Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Numerous industries and people rely daily on the system’s ability to determine their position as well as to synchronize time with the atomic clock carried onboard the satellites. It is now more important than ever for GNSS to operate securely and reliably, to ensure the safety of its users. However, in this chapter, it is highlighted that this might not always be the case, as attackers constantly find new ways to exploit the GNSS features and pose an imminent threat to the system’s reliability. GNSS receivers are especially vulnerable to three types of malicious attacks, in particular blocking, jamming and spoofing. In this chapter, a thorough research was conducted for the operation of both GNSS receivers and spoofing devices. A literature review based on the current available studies and research for detection and mitigation measures, was made. Then a new spoofing detection method is proposed and the principles and the research that was based on are analysed. Experimental data and results were gathered along with data extracted from simulated spoofed signals. The results from both the experiment and the simulation are reviewed, compared and discussed. Finally, based on those results conclusions are drawn.