The Hon Warren Truss MP

Minister for Transport and Regional Services

Parliament House

Canberra ACT 2600

 

Dear Minister

 

Re:  Offer to demonstrate ‘spoofing’ of Airservices ADS-B system

 

It is obvious that the reason the FAA has not yet set a date for the introduction of ADS-B is because of their growing concern of the problems of ‘spoofing.’  FAA officials have become aware that any electronics boffin, using a second-hand or ‘borrowed’ transponder from a small GA aircraft connected to a $5 data lead, a $5 aerial and a laptop computer, can create ten, twenty or even fifty false aircraft on an air traffic controller’s screen.

 

This will create total chaos in the air traffic control system and have serious safety implications.

 

Whereas this is almost impossible with conventional Secondary Surveillance Radar, it is a very easy action with ADS-B as it is presently designed. 

 

The FAA is very concerned about this and is looking at a way of encrypting or ‘timing’ – where multiple extra ground stations are set up so it will become obvious if the signal is actually coming from a moving aircraft or being ‘spoofed’ from one location.  Of course, this will increase the cost of the ADS-B system by many multiples.

 

Airservices Australia are convinced that they should lead the world with ADS-B and are driven by the potential financial savings.  They are already installing ground stations which are so sparsely located that undetected ‘spoofing’ will be straightforward.

 

I propose that you facilitate a demonstration of this ‘spoofing.’  I am prepared to have a unit made up and would require an allocated time using the Airservices Australia ADS-B station at Bundaberg to stage a demonstration.

 

You may ask, “Who would do such a thing?”  As we all know, criminals create viruses for computer networks, which have cost the world hundreds of millions of dollars.  Exactly the same people are likely to create ‘spoofing’ for the air traffic control system.  Their belief is that if the system has been designed so slackly that it is easy for a person (using a minimal amount of money) to create mayhem, that this should be demonstrated.

 

I will look forward to your advice.

 

Regards

 

Dick Smith