Enhancing GNSS Signal Authentication Through Multi-Antenna Systems

Haijun Tan, Ning Xie, Lei Huang, Hongbin Li

Abstract: The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver has become indispensable in navigation applications due to its affordability and reliable accuracy. Despite its widespread use, GNSS is vulnerable to manipulation by malicious entities within the inherently insecure wireless landscape. This paper proposes innovative GNSS signal authentication strategies that employing multiple antennas to counteract spoofing attacks. Leveraging a multi-antenna framework enhances the distinguishability of spoofing signals over traditional single-antenna configurations. Importantly, the proposed approaches capitalize on spatial characteristics, which are independent of the GNSS signal’s intrinsic features, to accurately identify spoofing attacks. Specifically, we propose a Direction-of-Arrival (DOA)-based authentication scheme to address scenarios where authentic signals are blocked during spoofing attacks. Additionally, for situations where both authentic and spoofing signals coexist at the receiver, we propose a Spatial Filter (SF)-based authentication scheme. Through rigorous theoretical analysis and comprehensive simulations, we not only validate the proposed schemes but also demonstrate their robustness and effectiveness in enhancing GNSS signal security. The simulation results, aligning closely with theoretical predictions, underscore the superiority of the proposed schemes in safeguarding against spoofing threats.