# AIS and GPS spoofing creating circles



## Colin Parkinson (19 Apr 2021)

While I think the RCN and RCAF are likely ready for a loss of GPS (I hope the USN is as well) I suspect the loss of GPS/AIS will really play havoc with the various merchant fleets, who many do not have the crew or the training to watchkeep without it. Also will have greater impacts as unmanned vessels come online.











						Mystery unsolved: ghost ships circling off California
					

Circle spoofing is an advanced form of GPS manipulation – but nobody knows exactly how, or why.




					bigthink.com


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## blacktriangle (19 Apr 2021)

The potential for exploiting/manipulating GPS, as well as the vulnerability of the orbital infrastructure itself dictate that forces should be prepared to operate without it. I expect there will be greater focus on INS for various applications in the coming years, as well as more emphasis on getting back to basics. There are also efforts underway to improve the resiliency of GPS for military applications, with great power competition as the driving force.

I'm willing to bet there are plenty of holes in the technology civilian shipping uses...probably time for folks to seriously lean in, and start looking, rather than wait for something to happen. But $$$...


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## YZT580 (19 Apr 2021)

GPS is the system being relied upon by civil aviation authorities to reduce separation in a non-radar environment.  NavCanada has been a big proponent as it enables increased traffic over the Atlantic and in our north country as well without the expense of installing radar units anywhere.  If the system can be easily spoofed and the aircraft being spoofed is unable to detect it the continued use of GPS would become very risky from an insurance viewpoint.


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## Colin Parkinson (19 Apr 2021)

Time to dust off the differential GPS system......


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## SupersonicMax (19 Apr 2021)

Well, I wouldn’t worry too top much about spoofing any military receivers.  Jamming perhaps (but even then...) but not spoofing.

Edit:  here’s a link to an old but relevant RAND analysis of GPS: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA305283.pdf


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## blacktriangle (19 Apr 2021)

SupersonicMax said:


> Well, I wouldn’t worry too top much about spoofing any military receivers.  Jamming perhaps (but even then...) but not spoofing.
> 
> Edit:  here’s a link to an old but relevant RAND analysis of GPS: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA305283.pdf


For sure. I'd be more worried about threats/vulnerabilities relating to the control & space segments than the integrity of the GPS signal/receiver.

Also - Russia & China face similar risks to their own infrastructure, so that's a plus.


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