Secure Authentication of ADS-B Aircraft Communications using Retroactive Key Publication

Pavana Prakash, Ahmed Abdelhadi, Miao Pan

Abstract: Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast(ADSB), is the next generation Air Traffic management system to monitor the airspace for air traffic communication and traffic information. While the ADS-B empowers aircraft to broadcast their location information automatically and provide situational awareness, it is susceptible to attacks and security issues. In this paper, we introduce a method to secure the ADS-B protocol in aircraft communication using Retroactive Key Publication where senders publish their keys retroactively, which is different from the traditional asymmetric cryptography. The deduced solution does not rely on a connection or two-way packets exchange to establish security. It compensates for the loss of packets owing to huge air traffic, yet preserving the open and broadcast nature of ADS-B. Our proposed protocol uses the existing ADS-B system and same hardware with no modifications but still adds security. Our secure system has low impact on current operations and retains the operational efficiency of the current aircraft system.