RF Attacks on Aviation's Defense Against Mid-Air Collisions
G. Longo, V. Lenders
DEF CON 32 Creator Stage · Day 1 · Creator Stage
In an era of increasingly complex air traffic and millions of flights annually, the integrity of aviation's safety systems is paramount. This DEF CON 32 presentation, delivered by cybersecurity researchers Vincent Lenders and Giacomo Longo, delves into critical radio frequency (RF) vulnerabilities within the **Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS)** – a technology recognized as the aviation industry's last line of defense against mid-air collisions. The speakers present compelling experimental evidence demonstrating the feasibility of launching sophisticated attacks against TCAS, challenging the long-held belief that the system's inherent timing requirements provided sufficient security.