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51 Winter 2014 – 2015 Proceedings www.uscg.mil/proceedings Jamming GPS jamming, where a bad actor blocks Global Positioning Sys- tem signal reception, is related to spoofng. For the maritime envi- ronment, jammers are a threat, because they deprive a vessel of the capability to determine its true position at sea. Moreover, without this capability, a vessel cannot broadcast its location to others though systems such as the Automatic Identifcation Sys- tem. Additionally, criminals and ter- rorists can use jammers to aid in their illicit activities and evade law enforcement by hiding their location. Mitigation Despite much research and improvements in antenna and receiver design and experiments with signal authentication, the fact remains civil Global Positioning System signaling is unencrypted; only military GPS signaling is encrypted for use in smart weapons technology. 1 However, some non-satellite-based alternatives are avail- able for navigation to mitigate the risk of GPS disruptions. For example, eLoran (enhanced long range navigation) is an advanced version of the old Loran-C land-based radio navigation system. The new system uses high-powered sig- nals over low frequencies and reportedly accurately maps destinations within 10 meters .2 Further development of alternate non-satellite-based navi- gational tools to reduce Global Positioning System depen- dence would be worthwhile. In addition, non-satellite-based tools will enable continuity of operations in the event of a disruption or outage. It is also important to encourage continued technological advancements for GPS receivers, so it will become more diffcult to interfere with or block the signals. Future Focus The beneft of using Global Positioning System information in a wide variety of applications has defnitely come at a cost to society. In instances when a GPS system is tampered with either purposefully or accidentally, those actions will NAVCEN In 1988, the Coast Guard became the operational interface for public and private users of GPS, so GPS spoofng is of particular concern to the Coast Guard. "Directionally, spoofng will make a boat think it's going in the right direction but it's actually off track," says the Coast Guard Navigation Center's (NAVCEN) Rick Hamilton, who is also the executive secretariat for the Civil GPS Interface Committee. NAVCEN personnel operate services and manage Coast Guard navigational matters, including liaison duties for civil GPS operations and reports of GPS outages or interference. As Hamilton describes, "We help provide a coordinated government response to reports of interference. We review, triage the report, and then try to get someone in the area to determine if there really is an issue. If so, we work with partners at the FAA, Air Force, and the FCC Enforce- ment Bureau to fnd the source of the event and stop it." impact other systems. Therefore, GPS spoofng and jam- ming are considered cybersecurity threats of concern to not only the maritime industry, but to the transportation sector as a whole. About the author: Ms. Brittany M. Thompson is an analyst and a former detailee at Coast Guard Cyber Command. She has an interest in cyber intelligence and cybersecurity topics. In 2013, she completed a joint master's and MBA in cybersecurity at the University of MarylandUniversity College. Endnotes: 1. Warner, Jon S., Ph.D., and Roger G. Johnston, Ph.D., CPP. GPS Spoofng Counter measures. 2. No Jam Tomorrow. The Economist, March 12, 2011. Bibliography: CGSIC General Information. U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center, March 19, 2014. Gibbons, G. Republic of Korea Announces New Plan for ELoran System in Wake of GPS Jamming. Inside GNSS. Global Navigation Satellite System Community, Gibbons Media & Research LLC., April 14, 2014. GPS Jamming: Out of Sight. The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, May 16, 2012. Interview with the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center's Rick Hamilton. Telephone Interview, April 2, 2014. Marine. GPS.gov: Applications. National Coordination Offce for Space-Based Posi- tioning, Navigation, and Timing, Sept. 27, 2013. No Jam Tomorrow. The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, March 12, 2011. Strunsky, S. N.J. Man Fined $32K for Illegal GPS Device That Disrupted Newark Airport System. NJ.com. N.p., Aug. 8, 2013. Warner, Jon S., Ph.D., and Roger G. Johnston, Ph.D., CPP. GPS Spoofng Countermea sures.