GPS Jammers Can Wreak Havoc, Cover up Crime

Nearly as common as electricity, the Global Positioning System (GPS) has transformed from a mere convenience for travelers into a vital tool for landing planes, guiding ships, synchronizing data across communication networks, and managing the operations of large power grids.

Our increasing reliance on the precise capabilities of GPS for positioning and timing has resulted in a tendency to take it for granted, leading us to assume it will always be at our disposal when necessary.

The primary design of GPS was to facilitate the tracking of military vehicles and armaments, and it was not originally meant for widespread civilian use. Recent findings indicate that GPS is at risk of security threats that could have detrimental effects on both personal devices and essential national infrastructure.

Small Cost, Big Consequence

The initial threat is linked to a phenomenon that professionals are worried is turning into a trend: the adoption of budget-friendly GPS jammers.

Starting at just $30, GPS jammers, which are often called "anti-GPS" devices, are accessible for personal use. They can be very small, with some configurations appearing as a 12-volt car cigarette lighter power adapter attached to an antenna.

These gadgets are heralded online as instruments that ensure personal privacy and thwart tracking efforts. However, it has been reported in the UK that criminals and car thieves have taken advantage of these devices to hide their unlawful activities.

Expressing his concerns, Peter Large, vice president of Trimble, a Sunnyvale, California-based company specializing in advanced positioning systems, stated, "The fact that Chinese factories are beginning to produce these items is troubling. Should they become widely available, the repercussions could be dire."

The mechanism of GPS jammers involves the disruption of frequencies within one of the prevalent GPS bands. Given that GPS signals are inherently weak, transmitting at a mere 25 watts from satellites located about 12,500 miles away, they can be readily interrupted or interfered with by devices like portable navigation systems.

The installation of onboard GPS receivers in vehicles by car and truck fleet operators often prompts drivers to use jammers in order to prevent their employers from tracking their activities.

In a report published in November, the National Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Advisory Commission, which is government-mandated, remarked, "We currently lack the adequate capabilities to detect and mitigate GPS jammers." It was also noted that "The process of locating the device that interfered with the new GPS landing system at Newark Airport in New Jersey extended over several months."

Future air traffic control systems, tasked with managing aircraft in flight, will be fundamentally underpinned by GPS signals, marking a shift from the current reliance on radar and human monitoring.

Besides managing road and marine traffic and overseeing data and power networks, GPS signals are vital for the timing of traffic lights and for ensuring that automated farm machinery accurately performs plowing and harvesting tasks.

Sabotaging any of these systems could produce detrimental effects.

It was underscored by Trimble's Large that GPS jammers could indeed function as a weapon.

The National PNT Advisory Commission's report supported the notion that GPS systems, particularly those applied in national security, such as fighter jets and military gear, require fortification against threats. It further recognized GPS as a critical infrastructure asset.

There is a pressing need to quickly develop and deploy systems that can effectively identify, mitigate, and disable signal jammers. In addition, it is crucial to enact laws that provide the means to arrest and prosecute those who intentionally violate these regulations.

This month, the Royal Academy of Engineering in the UK has published a report that has come to similar findings.

The analysis reveals that global navigation satellite services (GNSS) have become exceedingly convenient and prevalent for numerous purposes, leading to a tendency among users to take them for granted. It points out that while the disruption of these services in one application may only cause localized inconvenience, a more extensive failure could have dire consequences across multiple systems.

In the United States, the use of GPS jammers is illegal, and many European countries impose strict regulations on them. However, the laws governing these devices in some other countries are not clearly established.

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