UAV and Cyber threats

By: Vajratiya Vajrobol, International Center for AI and Cyber Security Research and Innovations (CCRI), Asia University, Taiwan, vvajratiya@gmail.com

Drones, often referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have become increasingly popular in a variety of industries due to their ability to provide creative solutions in fields including emergency response, surveillance, agricultural, and infrastructure assessment. It is imperative that cybersecurity issues related to the use of these UAVs be addressed as they become more and more integrated into vital activities as follows.

• Unauthorised Entry and Identity Theft

Due to their wireless communication, UAVs are vulnerable to unwanted access. Hackers could be able to take over a drone and manipulate its mission or fly it in an unlawful manner [1].

• Interception of Data

Interception of data transferred between the UAV and its control station is a potential risk. Sensitive data, including telemetry data and live video feeds, may be compromised as a result [2].

• Hacking and malicious software

Cyberattacks or malicious software can interfere with UAVs’ regular operations, causing control loss or system malfunctions. Software updates that are intercepted or compromised ground control systems could introduce malware [3].

• GPS jamming and spoofing

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is largely used by UAVs for navigation. The UAVs navigation system may be misled by spoofing or jamming GPS signals, which could result in incorrect placement and possible safety risks [4].

• Physical Mischief-Making:

Cybersecurity threats might also arise from physical access to a UAV. When unauthorised people take physical control of a drone, they run the risk of compromising its parts or installing harmful equipment [5].

To summarise, Cybersecurity awareness is critical as UAVs transform sectors. Integrating UAVs securely into crucial tasks is ensured by protection against physical tampering, cyber threats, illegal access, data interception, and GPS manipulation. To fully utilise UAVs and preserve the integrity of their operations, thorough cybersecurity measures must be prioritised.

References

1. Hartmann, K., & Steup, C. (2013, June). The vulnerability of UAVs to cyber attacks-An approach to the risk assessment. In 2013 5th international conference on cyber conflict (CYCON 2013) (pp. 1-23). IEEE.
2. Krishna, C. L., & Murphy, R. R. (2017, October). A review on cybersecurity vulnerabilities for unmanned aerial vehicles. In 2017 IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security and Rescue Robotics (SSRR) (pp. 194-199). IEEE.
3. Ly, B., & Ly, R. (2021). Cybersecurity in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Journal of Cyber Security Technology, 5(2), 120-137.
4. Khan, S. Z., Mohsin, M., & Iqbal, W. (2021). On GPS spoofing of aerial platforms: a review of threats, challenges, methodologies, and future research directions. PeerJ Computer Science, 7, e507.
5. Enemark, C. (2023). Moralities of Drone Violence. Edinburgh University Press.
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Cite As:

Vajrobol V. (2024) UAV and Cyber threats, Insights2Techinfo, pp.1

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