The IDF has been deploying GPS "spoofing" tactics, aimed at fooling enemy missiles that rely on global positioning system technology. However, this defensive measure is having far-reaching consequences beyond its intended military application.
What is GPS spoofing?
GPS spoofing involves broadcasting false location information to confuse GPS receivers. In this case, devices in various parts of Israel, Lebanon, and surrounding areas are being tricked into thinking they're at Beirut's international airport or other distant locations.
Professor Todd Humphreys from the University of Texas explains: "The signals that come down from GPS satellites far above us don't have any encryption on them or embedded cryptographic authentication. And so it's possible to mimic these signals, to falsify them, and broadcast them from somewhere else."
Research conducted by Professor Humphreys and his colleagues has pinpointed at least one location of the spoofing transmitter to be in the Ein Shemer Airfield in northern Israel.
Military Objectives
Israel has been on high alert for attacks from Iran and Hezbollah for months, particularly after two high-profile assassinations. The GPS spoofing is part of Israel's defense strategy against GPS-guided weapons.
"If you're choosing between just jamming the signal and spoofing the signal, spoofing is a more potent defense," Professor Humphreys explains. "Because a spoofing signal gets past many of the checks inside a GPS receiver, it can be less powerful and yet have an effect further from the transmitter."
Wide-Ranging Impacts on Civilian Life
The spoofing is affecting various aspects of civilian life:
1. Civilian Navigation: Smartphone apps and GPS devices are rendered useless in affected areas. In Israel's third-largest city, Haifa, GPS apps might show users as being at Beirut's international airport, over 100 kilometers away.
2. Aviation: Pilots are reporting false alarms and navigation issues. In March, a Turkish Airlines flight to Beirut was unable to land due to GPS spoofing, circling the airport for 40 minutes before returning to Turkey. Jordan has also reported interference with its air traffic.
3. Maritime and Land Movement: The spoofing is affecting both sea and land transportation systems.
5. Delivery and Ride-sharing Apps: Services are disrupted as driver locations are misreported.
6. Drone Operations: Even small video drones used by civilians are affected.
Return to Analog Solutions
The persistent GPS disruption has led to an unexpected trend in Israel – a surge in demand for paper maps. In January, one of the country's biggest map providers reported selling out of stock and being unable to print fast enough to meet demand.
Safety and Legal Concerns
Jennifer Parker, an expert with the National Security College at the Australian National University, warns of potential dangers: "When you think about how reliant modern society is on GPS for navigation, especially in the civil aviation industry, it does create some dangers."
The practice of GPS spoofing exists in a legal grey area. While the International Telecommunications Union generally prohibits such disruptions, exceptions are made for national security concerns. In July, Lebanon filed a complaint to the United Nations and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) over the GPS spoofing, which also affects aircraft transiting the Mediterranean.
Looking Ahead
As this tactic continues, experts are questioning the future reliability of GPS for safety-critical systems. Professor Humphreys raises an important point: "If anybody who has the merest threat of attack, whether by drones or missiles, can engage in GPS spoofing, then it really calls into question whether GPS could be used at all in safety-of-life systems going forward."
ABC News contributed to this article.