Exploring Potential ADS-B Vulnerabilites in the FAA's Nextgen Air Transportation System
Abstract
The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Next Generation upgrade proposes a fundamental transformation to the national airspace system (NAS) that aims to reduce dependence on outdated radar infrastructure, increase airline safety and condense required aircraft spatial separation. A key component of the upgrade is the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system. ADS-B provides continual broadcast of aircraft position, identity, velocity and other information over unencrypted data links to generate a precise air picture for air traffic management. Official documents claim operational requirements necessitate unencrypted data links while maintaining that there is a low likelihood for malicious exploitation. This paper studies the security vulnerabilities associated with the ADS-B implementation plan and develops a taxonomy to classify attacks and examine potential impacts the attacks have on overall NAS operations. The taxonomy helps provide a comprehensive understanding of the threats associated with ADS-B implementation and facilitates risk analysis and risk management. For demonstration purposes, three vignettes are presented to highlight how ADS-B attacks could impact military operations and homeland defense. Finally a series of recommendations for consideration in the implementation plan going forward is provided.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA545599
Entities
People
- Donald L. Mccallie
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology