Hack RF for ADS-B

[Bill-Higdon]

Interesting developments as of late HackRF PortaPack Firmware Spoofs All The Things

 

[TFF]

It was only time. Hams always had respect for their airwaves, model plane flyers respect for the air. Drones and hackers want to conquer what seems to be free, when it really isn’t. Just messes it up for the ones who did play by the rules.

 

[fly2kads]

I don't understand what possess people to think such a thing would be a good idea.

 

[pwood66889]

"If you build it, they will come." And try to get in for free! Thanks for alerting the general flying community.

 

[Hephaestus]

Flipper Zero — Tamagochi for Hackers

Open source multi-tool device for researching and pentesting radio protocols, access control systems, hardware, and more.

www.kickstarter.com

Yeah 4.8 million for a project seeking 700k - that turned screwing with everything rf into a game.

This is how to steal a car for methheads in convenient preassembled 120$ form - with no laws to enable them to seize it too.

However, why would one choose to disrupt adsb.

 

[pwood66889]

"However, why would one choose to disrupt adsb(?)"
Let me count the ways, Heph! And yet, any one with computer exposure could have seen it coming.
Supposedly, it can't be hacked according to the FAA...

 

[bmcj]

That’s troubling, but ADS-B is already being jeopardized but the FAA selling bandwidth to a 5G cellular provider that reportedly screws up GPS signals that aircraft use.

 

[BBerson]

ADS-B can be jammed also, not just hacked.
I don't think the FAA will obsolete radar anytime soon.

 

[Hephaestus]

"However, why would one choose to disrupt adsb(?)"
Let me count the ways, Heph! And yet, any one with computer exposure could have seen it coming.
Supposedly, it can't be hacked according to the FAA...

Beyond terrorists... What's the motivation for a limited area disruption?

Yeah they could throw a 100,000w at it and really screw up a bigger area - but you'd be an immediate and obvious target.

But we're not implicitly relying on adsb data either - you could cause more chaos by screwing up gps signals...

My .02

 

[BrianW]

It was only time. Hams always had respect for their airwaves, model plane flyers respect for the air. Drones and hackers want to conquer what seems to be free, when it really isn’t. Just messes it up for the ones who did play by the rules.

Since no one else mentioned it ~ Stratux is a homebuild box with two software defined radios listening on the two UHF bands on which aircraft with ADSB-OUT and ADS towers transmit dynamic aircraft location, speed and altitude information, along with weather. The rasberry pi host retransmits data via wifi to a cockpit display typically iPad which adds aircraft location symbols onto the moving map display service which many pilots use these days, in order to identify conflicting traffic. This ensemble costs around $200 to build plus the iPad.
Probably the single best safety enhancement of recent years.

 

[robertl]

Since no one else mentioned it ~ Stratux is a homebuild box with two software defined radios listening on the two UHF bands on which aircraft with ADSB-OUT and ADS towers transmit dynamic aircraft location, speed and altitude information, along with weather. The rasberry pi host retransmits data via wifi to a cockpit display typically iPad which adds aircraft location symbols onto the moving map display service which many pilots use these days, in order to identify conflicting traffic. This ensemble costs around $200 to build plus the iPad.
Probably the single best safety enhancement of recent years.

And where would someone find the stuff, and information to build a working example of this? Asking for a friend.
Bob

 

[Hephaestus]

And where would someone find the stuff, and information to build a working example of this? Asking for a friend.
Bob

PiAware - build your own ADS-B ground station for integration with FlightAware - FlightAware

Build a network ADS-B and MLAT (Mode S) receiver in two hours for USD$100 / EUR€80. Step-by-step instructions along with a link to your statistics and how to register for a free FlightAware Enterprise account.

flightaware.com

There's a few builds over on the eaa forum too.

 

[9aplus]

Here:

cyoung/stratux

Aviation weather and traffic receiver based on RTL-SDR. - cyoung/stratux

github.com

 

[TFF]

I’m a bah humbug on adsb. It’s not going to stop anything. Flying with a friend, we had a Barron oblivious try and hit us with ATC and ADSB. We Volunteered to descend to keep space even though the Barron was the one being told to change heading. Perfect clear day. We saw the traffic 8 miles away and he passed right over our heads like he was aiming for us. We were watching our ADSB and I know he was too because he was going to fly as close as he could because his screen said he was clear. He never looked out the window. Just like people shooting in holes seen on XM weather and finding the have been closed up.

 

[rv7charlie]

That’s troubling, but ADS-B is already being jeopardized but the FAA selling bandwidth to a 5G cellular provider that reportedly screws up GPS signals that aircraft use.

Not the FAA; they don't control RF spectrum. It's the FCC, lead by Ajit Pai.

Thank the aviation (and all communication) gods, he'll be gone in a couple of months.

 

[BrianW]

And where would someone find the stuff, and information to build a working example of this? Asking for a friend.
Bob

This is probably a good place to start:

Stratux ADS-B | Stratux ADS-B - DIY/Low-cost Portable ADS-B

Stratux ADS-B receiver software for pilots.

stratux.me

 

[rv7charlie]

If you guys are interested in an ADSB receiver like the Stratux (note the 'X'; not 'S'), start a thread and those of us who use them may be able to help (but Brian's link is a great place to start).

If you just want to get your feet wet, you can get a single band receiver working with an android phone/tablet, an SDR receiver that costs less than $20, and a $3 app.

Charlie

 

[bmcj]

Not the FAA; they don't control RF spectrum. It's the FCC, lead by Ajit Pai.

Thank the aviation (and all communication) gods, he'll be gone in a couple of months.

Thanks. You are absolutely correct ( on all counts, might I add). That’s what happens when my fingers don’t listen to my brain.

 

[trimtab]

I built an ADS-b out 6 years ago using the HackRF One. It took me about 12 hours to code and get to work, with very little RF experience. I used the specification documents to generate the encoding scheme. Now, the Stratux open source code can be used even faster to determine the same encoding scheme. I bet that's what all these recent projects are doing.

It worked very well, and quickly demonstrated that the existing $5k to $8k TSO units were total trash. Worse than trash. So easily spoofed by even a crude ddos attack. Confused by even moderate traffic levels. Total amateur hour.

My goal was to develop a simple SoC (based on a Xilinx Zynq, actually) to license to companies to make good, inexpensive ads-b panel units. I talked to three familiar companies. One told me of it was so easy, why did they need 6-8 digital RF engineers in the R&D section alone. Another told me it would ruin the market if it was even possible. The third simply sent a cease and desist letter from a lawyer indicating that any new hardware that implemented ADS-b was likely an IP infringement against them.

Seriously. These companies are not innovative, and actually their staff and management aren't particularly bright at all based on the responses I got.

I had already busy growing another business at the time, and I lost interest.

A couple of the issues I figured the FAA must be cussing about that my system could address were spoofing and ghosting. With very little use of bandwidth, ground based translateration would become obsolete. I had no idea the FAA at the time was fighting both battles and basically losing for a time in true government fashion.

The compromises of the US system created a dumb and insecure network. It is 1990's tech at best, which means the FAA will continue it for another 50 years.

In any case, I won't release the code even though at one time I was going to after that truly bizarre cease and desist letter from the company that rhymes with Garmin.

There are enough dumb monkeys out there to make that clearly a bad idea, even if a reasonably intelligent high school nerd could figure it out pretty fast on their own. At least they probably have no desire to use it improperly.

 

[robertl]

Wow, so much good info here, I really appreciate people that are willing to share.
Bob