Kaspersky identifies 3,000 vulnerable GNSS receivers

A report from Kaspersky reveals that over 3,000 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers are actively vulnerable to attacks launched directly from the Internet. This vulnerability poses significant risks to maritime, aviation, and terrestrial logistics.

Modern space systems are complex networks including ground control stations, communication links, user terminals, and third-party software. Researchers found that attackers often target these more accessible elements rather than the satellites in orbit themselves. The study followed a surge in GPS and GNSS spoofing incidents observed in the Black Sea region during 2023.

Historically, more than 100 cyber incidents targeting space systems have been recorded between 1957 and the early 2020s. Additionally, advanced persistent threat (APT) groups, such as Turla and Whitebear, have previously exploited unencrypted downstream satellite traffic to mask their malicious activities.