OpenScope-sec: An ADS-B Simulator to Support the Security Research

Abstract

Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) protocol is employed in air-ground communication systems to replace legacy radar-based air traffic control systems. However, despite being a recent technology, ADS-B communication does not include security measures. This exposes the communication to potential threats, including message spoofing or fake aircraft generation. To cope with such a security lack, the security community is actively proposing innovative solutions to protect ADS-B communication. However, testing and evaluating security frameworks is complex due to the limited number of simulators and the impossibility of conducting real-world experiments. In this paper, we present an OpenScope-sec an ADS-B simulator to support the security research and the implementation of novel anomaly detection systems. Our simulator extends the existing ADS-B simulator tools with the possibility of implementing a wider range of attacks. The list of attacks included is based on a preliminary analysis of the current literature, where we collected the most common attacks proposed on ADS-B communication and the existing simulators. Finally, for each attack implemented, we discuss possible anomaly detection approaches to detect the attacks and the consequent changes in legitimate parameters. order to detect possible attacks in real ADS-B messages.