Iranians Captured US Drone with GPS Attack

[mlurp]

I just hears on TV a FOX exclusive to the Drones flying around here and overseas have a weakness and thats how Iran brought the one they captured a few months back.
Now we know why it was't able to self destruct, as once it is taken over our people lose all control. And the ones being used in America can be hacked easily.

Iranians Captured US Drone with GPS Attack

Posted 25 June 2012 ...............

An Iranian engineer that’s currently studying the captured US drone revealed that they managed to bring it down using a GPS vulnerability they knew about.

According to CSMonitor, the warplane was based in Afghanistan, but with the aid of the GPS flaw they managed to reprogram it to land in Iran.

After cutting off communication links, Iranian specialists reprogramed the RQ-170 to make it believe that its home base was actually in their country. This is apparently how they managed to make it land almost undamaged.

While the Iranians knew of the flaw after studying the other drones they managed to shoot down, it seems as the US was also well aware of the weakness that was taken advantage of by the enemy.

“The GPS navigation is the weakest point,” the Iranian engineer told the Monitor. “By putting noise [jamming] on the communications, you force the bird into autopilot. This is where the bird loses its brain.”

By using the GPS vulnerability, they practically made the aircraft “land on its own where it wanted to,” without having to hack into the communication systems that controlled it from the command center.

Few people would have imagined that Tehran has a way to fight back against the United States, but as it turns out, reverse-engineering can do wonders if you’re persistent enough.

Former US Navy electronic warfare specialist Robert Densmore claims that the explanations given by Iran to take down the warplane are very plausible. The GPS systems on these flying spies can be recalibrated to make them follow any course and land at a given location.

"Even modern combat-grade GPS [is] very susceptible,” Densmore said. “I wouldn't say it's easy, but the technology is there.”

A couple of days ago, Barack Obama officially asked Iran to return the captured drone, but it’s very unlikely that they’ll just hand over such precious loot. At some point they may give it back, but only after they tear it apart and study its every fiber and chip.

Iranians Captured US Drone with GPS Attack - Softpedia

And if you want more about their use in the skies over America use this link

Drones and the Texas study of their GPS weakness - Yahoo! Search Results

[MrLiberty]

Originally Posted by mlurp

I just hears on TV a FOX exclusive to the Drones flying around here and overseas have a weakness and thats how Iran brought the one they captured a few months back.
Now we know why it was't able to self destruct, as once it is taken over our people lose all control. And the ones being used in America can be hacked easily.


Iranians Captured US Drone with GPS Attack - Softpedia

And if you want more about their use in the skies over America use this link

Drones and the Texas study of their GPS weakness - Yahoo! Search Results

I read about this and it is interesting that we are putting up drones that have a tactical flaw that makes them so vulnerable. Bad planning by our superior brain trust in Washington.....

[mlurp]

Originally Posted by MrLiberty

I read about this and it is interesting that we are putting up drones that have a tactical flaw that makes them so vulnerable. Bad planning by our superior brain trust in Washington.....

Our just because of the cuts to our defense programs.

But I think this flaw was there from the first drone, if not from the 2nd generation of drones.
As defense contractors just have to meet a set of requirements, set by the service making the order.

But with our MIC about 25-30 years ahead of todays man toys you would think they would have checked the simple item that would be the weak link, GPS.

Which is a link to 3 or more of the 40+ satellites way above the earth.

I now would think if an enemy can do this with a drone, what can they do with all of our military depending on GPS for about everything we have to do battles with.

Just consider this and it boggles ones mind.

And I sure hope someone is considering this too in the top layers of the way to many generals we have.

I can only pray we aren't that dumb to not consider it...

And my understanding is in some of the college labs doing govt., contracts. That they are working on a pulsar type to protect all of our most important satellites..

Yet this is years away and we need to protect them NOW!!!! We & China have proved that anyone of them can be taken out with missiles.

[SwissMan]

Originally Posted by mlurp

Our just because of the cuts to our defense programs.

But I think this flaw was there from the first drone, if not from the 2nd generation of drones.
As defense contractors just have to meet a set of requirements, set by the service making the order.

But with our MIC about 25-30 years ahead of todays man toys you would think they would have checked the simple item that would be the weak link, GPS.

Which is a link to 3 or more of the 40+ satellites way above the earth.

I now would think if an enemy can do this with a drone, what can they do with all of our military depending on GPS for about everything we have to do battles with.

Just consider this and it boggles ones mind.

And I sure hope someone is considering this too in the top layers of the way to many generals we have.

I can only pray we aren't that dumb to not consider it...

And my understanding is in some of the college labs doing govt., contracts. That they are working on a pulsar type to protect all of our most important satellites..

Yet this is years away and we need to protect them NOW!!!! We & China have proved that anyone of them can be taken out with missiles.

So that is how they dood it!
Hope some Heads will roll,and some People more savvy will get the Contract to produce the Software for them!

[mlurp]

As much as I dis-like war or special ops where well trained men use crap equipment, well I did-like that even more.

Yet I doubt any heads will roll as stupidity with in the top brass is not new. Nor will it evey go away... Now all they will want is get it fixed and back on line.

While Iran, and whom ever they decide to share the one with might just get it fixed first and use it against our NATO Troops, Israel etc., etc.

To make it plain as daylight The Pentagon alone has far to many Generals which are useless and NOT needed.

And the AF is the worst, next the Navy... The Army is right in there to. The Lean Mean Fighting Machine, the Marines are cut to the bone in most cases. Yet they to are top heavy in DC and in R&D..

I bet the Military could cut 5,000 Generals and never miss one.

[usedtobetrappedinoneparty]

I can't figure out why there's not something in these things that if they fall behind enemy lines we can't wipe them out electronically with a push of a button.

Same thing witht things like IPADS. IF yours is stolen you should be able to explode it in the hands of the thief.

[mlurp]

Originally Posted by usedtobetrappedinoneparty

I can't figure out why there's not something in these things that if they fall behind enemy lines we can't wipe them out electronically with a push of a button.

Same thing witht things like IPADS. IF yours is stolen you should be able to explode it in the hands of the thief.

Even though I mis-spelled a few words or used a few incorrectly the grisp of the news on that is simple, once hacked we lose all control over everything.

That to wasn't covered when they first & with the second generation of these drones.

Which is a very good point you have made.

As there should be a timer/something so if we lose one or more they go poof and just scap metal.carbon fibers fall to the ground.

[mlurp]

BTW that user name is but explains nothing to me if your profile is blank, did I miss an intro?

If so then Welcome to PW very lately done.

Could you give up some info so I at least know more about the person who made a wise statement?

Yet as always it is up to you.