Analyzing the Security of Satellite Based Air Traffic Control
Martin Strohmeier
DEF CON 32 Creator Stage · Day 1 · Creator Stage
In this DEF CON 32 talk, Martin Strohmeier from the Cyber Defense Campus, part of the Swiss Department of Defense, presented a comprehensive analysis of the security vulnerabilities inherent in **satellite-based air traffic control (ATC)** systems. The presentation delved into two primary technologies: **Satellite Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)** and the lesser-known **Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Contract (ADS-C)**. Strohmeier highlighted that despite their critical role in modern aviation, particularly for surveillance over remote and oceanic regions, these systems suffer from a fundamental lack of security, primarily the absence of authentication.