ATMChain: Blockchain-Based Solution to Security Problems in Air Traffic Management

Abstract

The air traffic management (ATM) system is an intelligent system that integrates the ground computer network, the airborne network and the space satellite (communication and navigation) network. It is connected by the ground-air data link system. Due to the openness and wide-area distribution, ATM system has many security risks, facing increasingly serious security threats, which may have an adverse impact on flight safety. In order to solve the potential cybersecurity risks in the ATM system, this paper presents an information security framework based on blockchain technology, called air traffic management blockchain (ATMChain). The ATMChain alliance blockchain network is composed of air traffic control departments, ground airport departments and System Wide Information Management centers, with specially designed block storage protocols and block structures. Through the use of a unique consensus mechanism for the civil aviation transport environment, it can achieve multicenter, secure, efficient and traceable ATM data sharing and data management. This paper presents security protection functions such as access control, data protection, identity authentication in ATMChain, and gives the protocol flow and system models diagram of these functions implementations. Finally, the analysis of the system is given. The scheme in this paper may help to improve the security and reliability of air traffic management business, and provide reference to the design and research of the fourth-generation air traffic management network.