Aviation faces growing challenge of GPS spoofing

Spoofing is illegal when used deceitfully or harmfully, carrying severe penalties if it endangers lives. Examples include an incident in 2022 involving a plane from Lahore that experienced multiple system failures after takeoff due to GPS issues. More recently, in October 2023, flights departing from Tel Aviv suffered navigational failures because of spoofing activities.

To combat GPS spoofing risks, OpsGroup advises flight crews to monitor for signs like increased Estimation Position Uncertain (EPU), EFIS warnings related to navigation changes, and alterations in UTC clock times. They suggest deselecting GPS inputs when necessary and using traditional navigational aids while reporting any incidents.

Despite technological advancements replacing older radio beam systems with GPS for guiding aircraft landings, experts recommend maintaining some conventional navigational aids as backups against spoofing threats. Earlier this year, stakeholders met but could not find immediate technological solutions due to lengthy certification processes.

As technology becomes more expensive and sophisticated attacks persist, Bombardier and Gulfstream have advised continuing reliance on ground-based navigation aids when needed. Airlines are encouraged to report any spoofing signs for better data understanding through resources like OpsGroup's website and gpsjam.org.