Validating an ATM security prototype — First results

Abstract

Since years it is known that radio communication used by ATC can easily be intruded and is therefore subject to recurrent attacks. Nevertheless the voice communication between pilots and air traffic controllers is still the most flexible and efficient medium especially in a busy traffic environment, in non-standard situations or simply when exchanging air-ground messages in plain language is needed. As vulnerability seems not dominant compared to the number of crucial damages, voice communication is still the basic and most important communication method within the aeronautical mobile service. This motivated the development of a prototype called ‘Secure ATC Communications’ (SACom) within the frame of the Global ATM Security Management (GAMMA) Project. The paper at hand describes the required functionalities of the prototype, the validation approach taken, using this security prototype as example, and conclusions for the results of validation, regarding the prototype itself as well as the validation methodology applied to the security context within ATM.