Global Positioning System (GPS) Spoofing

A committee has been established by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to keep an eye on GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) spoofing in Indian airspace.

What is GPS spoofing?

An attempt to alter the initial location of a GPS-enabled device is known as GPS spoofing.
GPS spoofing sends false data to a receiver to divert traffic, goods, or people with falsified information.
How is it done? GPS spoofing involves a radio transmitter near a target that interferes with the actual GPS signals being transmitted.
- GPS signals are often weak and transmitted through satellites.
- A stronger radio transmitter can be used to override the weaker signal and send illegitimate coordinates and information to the receiver.
- GPS spoofing can then send people off course or say that someone is somewhere that they are not.

GPS System

GPS is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) used in the world.
Along with delivering location information, it is also used to keep accurate time.
These functions can also be disrupted through spoofing or jamming.

Not the same as GPS jamming

Spoofing is completely different from jamming and much more dangerous.
As the name suggests, jamming is when the GPS signals are interfered with.
While planes and other aircraft frequently deal with jamming, spoofing like the recent instances in Iran is reportedly unheard of.
Compared to GPS jamming, spoofing is more difficult to detect.

Increasing instances

Instances of GPS spoofing involving commercial and airline aircraft over Iranian airspace have increased.
The navigation systems of at least 20 passenger planes travelling over Iran have been interfered with by phoney GPS signals.
Boeing 777, 737, and 747 are among the aircraft that were deceived into deviating from their intended route by these erroneous signals originating from the ground.
These signals defeated the aircraft’s in-built navigation system, which swiftly resulted in the loss of all navigational capabilities.

What are the harms of GPS spoofing?