Risk and Countermeasure Analysis of Network
based Global Airplane Tracking System
Zhijun Wu, Xuan Liu Akhmad Dahlan
School of Electronic Information & Automation Universitas Amikom Yogyakarta
Civil Aviation University of China Indonesia
Tianjin, China alland@amikom.ac.id
e-mail: zjwu@
Abstract—The mysterious disappearance of MH370 flight is
incredible in current air traffic management (ATM) with the
rapid development of modern communication technology. In this
paper, the vulnerabilities of communication technology and
safety management on airplane tracking are explored through
existing methods and means. Then the proposals, for
airborne communication, navigation, and surveillance system
and safety management from internal and external factors, are
put forward respectively to improve the ability of emergency
response and disaster recovery for flight.
Keywords—network-based global airplane tracking; risk
countermeasure; decision-making
I. INTRODUCTION
It has been more than three years since we last heard from
MH370 with 239 people aboard on March 8, 2014.
International search efforts had been continuing in the southern
Indian Ocean, but nothing related to MH370 flight can be
found until January 2015[1]. The tragedies of MH370 and
other flight accidents, for example, Germanwings Flight
4U9525, have highlighted vulnerabilities in the current aircraft
tracking systems, such as communications, navigation, and
surveillance technologies and devices. Civil airplane, known as
‘the most secure vehicles’ has many loopholes in technology
which need to be improved, and the world aviation industry
also faces the challenge of technology and management
innovation[2]. These technical flaws have significantly
hindered the promptness and effectiveness on search and
rescue work, recovery operations and accident investigation.
The most substantial changes to aircraft distress tracking
system are not only in technologies, but also in security
management. The multi-disciplinary meeting on global flight
tracking was held in Montreal
and the document called Global
Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS)[3] was
made by the ad hoc working group on flight tracking in
accordance with conclusions and recommendations of the
special meeting.
Based on the analysis of available means of airplane
tracking, the corresponding suggestions should be put forward
to avoid similar events happening again. This is the major
motivation for this paper.
II. RISKS
AND COUNTERMEASURES
The risks to the safe
airplane are classified as two
categories, external and internal risks. And, the
countermeasures responded to the external risks can be divided
into active defense and passive defense. The overview diagram
of risks analysis and countermeasures is shown in Fig.1.
Cyber attacks and
intrusions
External
Risks
Aircraft tracking failure due to
uncoverage of radar or satellite
signals over maritime or remote areas
Difficult recovery of flight data
Cyber attacks to aeronautical
networks
Spoofing attack to satellite signal
Intercept and capture of ADS-B
message
Passive
countermeasures
Active
countermeasures
4A (Authority, Authentication,
Audit, Account)
GNSS signal integrity
verification and authentication
ADS-B message encryption
and authentication
Establishing air-ground wideband data link to
enhance the ability of real-time
communication
Using the satellite-based ADS-B
Developing ATN rapidly to achieve seamless
connection
Internal
Risks
Pilot interrupt communication (turn off or
shut down communication equipments)
Cabin on fire
Pilot crashing airplane
Passengers riots
Unauthorized manipulation of the aircraft
Countermasures
Operating privileges management
(Biometric passports) in the cockpit
Automatic emergency communication
switching from cockpit to cabin
Providing picture or video for aircraft
internal surveillance (Both cockpit and
cabin)
Pilot destroy airborne avionics
F
verview diagram of risks analysis and countermeasures
2018 International Conference on Information and Communications Technology (ICOIACT)
978-1-5386-0954-5/18/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE 292