Cyber Security Analysis and Strategy Development for Software-Defined Radars

Abstract

This research investigates a rudimentary software-defined radar. The research presents a cyber attack and defense strategies on the test-bed architecture. The cyber attack and defense vectors are contextualized within the current state of software-defined radar systems by reviewing and summarizing various applications of software-defined radars currently in use. The system under test is open-source but representative of many software-defined radars found in current use. The operation of the system is described from the application level to the hardware operation. The system under test is found to be vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. This attack vector is capable of modifying packet data to change configuration settings onboard the system front end and modifying the waveform data between the two nodes. Manipulation of the waveform data produces a predictable effect in the distance estimates produced by the radar. The results of the configuration command and waveform data manipulation are quantified and presented. The research presents strategies for securing the system under test. The research also presents tools for securing the system.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 23, 2017
Accession Number
AD1054784

Entities

People

  • Blake E. Yerkes

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Authentication
  • Communication Channels
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Department Of Defense
  • Detection
  • Digital Signal Processing
  • Intrusion Detection
  • Multiple Input Multiple Output
  • Operating Systems
  • Radar
  • Signal Generators
  • Signal Processing
  • Software Defined Radio
  • United States Government

Fields of Study

  • Computer science
  • Engineering

Readers

  • Distributed Systems and Data Platform Development
  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Radio communications and signal processing.

Technology Areas

  • Cyber