ADS-B Communication Security: Assessing the Performance of Format-Preserving Lightweight Block Ciphers

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14209/jcis.2024.21

Keywords:

ADS-B, Embedded Systems, Encryption, Lightweight

Abstract

In this work, we document an investigation regarding the vulnerabilities of ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) communication, considering the risks to operational security. The ADS-B technology is a communication protocol to transmit surveillance information, that is, data related to position, altimetry, and speed, from the aircraft's avionics, an evolution to radars. We present an encryption solution for this communication using format-preserving encryption implemented in a microcontroller-embedded system. We also evaluate the use of lightweight symmetric block ciphers for better computational performance. When used as a pseudorandom function, we observe that such ciphers maintain a high entropy output value with low computational cost --- up to sixteen times faster for similar entropy values. Finally, the computational performance obtained with the proposed solution is analyzed by processing real-time data from aircraft in the landing and takeoff phase at the international airport of Recife/Guararapes - Gilberto Freyre, based in Recife/PE, Brazil.

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Author Biographies

Celdo S. da Silveira, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Celdo Souza da Silveira was born in Brazil where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with an emphasis on Industrial Control and Automation from the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS) in 2012, and an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Communications from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) in 2023. He has been a member of the Brazilian Air Force since 2001 and worked in radar data processing, data treatment and visualization systems, and datalink technologies from 2013 to 2023 at the Third Integrated Center for Air Defense and Airspace Control (CINDACTA III). He currently works as a Secondee at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada. His research focuses on surveillance and communication in aviation, as well as additive manufacturing technologies.

Juliano B Lima, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Juliano Bandeira Lima was born in Brazil where he studied electrical engineering. He received the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Brazil, in 2004 and 2008, respectively. Since 2015, he has been a research productivity fellow awarded by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico. He is currently an Associate Professor of the Department of Electronics and Systems at UFPE. His main research interests are in the field of discrete and number-theoretic transforms, and their applications in digital signal processing, communications and cryptography.

José R. de Oliveira Neto, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

José Rodrigues de Oliveira Neto was born in Brazil. He received the B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Brazil, in 2013, 2015, and 2019, respectively. He is currently an Assistant Professor with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, UFPE. His main research interests include digital signal processing, embedded systems, and hardware implementations.

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Published

2024-12-02

How to Cite

Souza da Silveira, C., Bandeira Lima, J., & Rodrigues de Oliveira Neto, J. (2024). ADS-B Communication Security: Assessing the Performance of Format-Preserving Lightweight Block Ciphers. Journal of Communication and Information Systems, 39(1), 194–206. https://doi.org/10.14209/jcis.2024.21

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 1 (2024): Vol. 39 No. 1 (2024)

Section

Regular Papers

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Celdo S. da Silveira, Juliano B Lima, José R. de Oliveira Neto (Author)

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Received 2024-08-05
Accepted 2024-11-18
Published 2024-12-02