ADS-B Communication in Modern Air Traffic Management: Threats, Risks and Security Solutions

Abstract

Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is a key technology behind current air traffic management, providing unique safety, efficiency and situational awareness advantages. However, because of its open communication architecture, it is susceptible to various security vulnerabilities including spoofing, jamming and message injection. The integrity of the aviation ecosystem is being jeopardized by these threats and requires robust, scalable solutions. This article presents both the operational importance and the intrinsic risks of ADS-B. With this, it evaluates various existing security approaches including cryptographic methods, machine learning methods and physical-layer security to determine what vulnerability of security it can address well and which it cannot. First, it also determines the present obstacles, including compatibility with prior systems, substantial installation costs and policy restraints, that make it difficult to raise enhancements of security. The conclusion is then provided concerning future research directions, specifically, lightweight encryption, advanced anomaly detection and integration strategies to secure ADS-B communication. The solution to these issues is important to ensure the resilience and safety of global aviation.