GPS Jamming

GPS Jamming

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Msc

Incidents of GPS Jamming:

• Cargo ships in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions are facing an increase in incidents of GPS jamming.
• This interference manipulates or disrupts the ship navigation data, especially near conflict zones.

Specific Incident on April 4:

• On April 4, around 117 cargo-carrying vessels were reported at Beirut-Rafic Al Hariri International Airport in Lebanon.
• Information sourced from vessel-tracking data by Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

Trend Since October 2023:

• The trend of ships appearing on land-based systems, like airports, has become more common since the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023.
• Initially observed in the eastern Mediterranean at the end of October.

Spoofing vs. Jamming:

• Spoofing AIS signals to create false vessel locations is a known tactic to circumvent sanctions.
• Widespread GPS signal jamming in the Black Sea marks a potentially dangerous form of AIS manipulation.

Lloyd’s List Findings:

• Lloyd’s List analysis reveals a significant increase in incidents of third-party interference in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals.
• Over 655 individual incidents identified in the past year, with a majority since January 2024.

Expert Insights:

• Highlights the seriousness of war zone GPS jamming, particularly for military operations.
• Disruption of navigation, targeting systems, communication, and countermeasures can significantly impact military activities.

These points outline the recent incidents of GPS jamming affecting cargo ships in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, emphasizing key details and potential risks to navigation systems.

GPS Spoofing and Jamming

• GPS Spoofing: An attempt to alter the initial location of a GPS-enabled device.
• Purpose: Sends false data to a receiver, diverting traffic, goods, or people with falsified information.

Method:

• Transmission of False Data: Involves sending false coordinates and information to the receiver.
• Radio Transmitter: A radio transmitter near the target interferes with actual GPS signals.
• Signal Override: Stronger transmitter overrides weak GPS signals from satellites.

Impact:

• Course Alteration: Can send people or vehicles off course.
• False Locations: Indicates someone is in a location they are not actually present.

Difference from GPS Jamming:

• GPS Jamming: Interfering with GPS signals.
• Spoofing vs. Jamming: Spoofing is more dangerous and involves sending false data, while jamming disrupts GPS signals.
• Detection Difficulty: Spoofing is harder to detect compared to jamming.