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GPS spoofing: what is it, and how to avoid it

 

GPS (Global Positioning System) spoofing involves sending false GPS signals to fool a receiver into believing it’s in a different location. While some use it for harmless and sound reasons, like gaming or privacy protection, others exploit it to mislead people or divert goods maliciously. 

If this sounds a bit complicated, don’t worry. Below, Ms. Silvija Danauskaitė, of Surfshark breaks down how GPS spoofing works, the threats it poses, and, most importantly, how you can protect yourself. 

 

What is GPS spoofing?

GPS spoofing tricks your device into thinking it’s in a different location than it actually is by sending phony GPS signals. When your phone, car navigation system, or other devices rely on these signals, they calculate incorrectly and show the wrong location. When misused, GPS spoofing can be a menace to both everyday users and businesses, disrupting navigation, tracking, and location-based services.

 

How does GPS spoofing work?

To protect yourself, it’s helpful to understand how GPS spoofing works. This means getting just a slight bit technical about how it operates. 

GPS is a navigation system that pinpoints your exact location on Earth using signals from satellites orbiting the planet. A GPS receiver — like the one in your phone, watch, or car — picks up these signals from multiple satellites to calculate your position based on the time it takes for each signal to reach you. 

However, by the time these signals get to your device, they can be pretty weak. GPS spoofing exploits this vulnerability by transmitting fake signals that mimic real ones. These fake signals are often set to the same frequencies as GPS satellites and can match their structure and timing. They’re also usually stronger or closer, effectively drowning out the genuine signals. 

If your device doesn’t have safeguards in place, it might have a hard time distinguishing between real and fake signals. It will end up latching on to the stronger fake signals and displaying a completely different location, sometimes hundreds or even thousands of miles off.

Think of it this way: GPS satellites are lighthouses guiding a ship toward a harbor. If someone beams a brighter, fake light closer to the ship, it’s easy to be led astray and end up at the wrong destination.

 

What threats does GPS spoofing pose?

Once reserved for warfare and espionage due to its high cost, GPS spoofing is now more accessible and affordable, even for everyday cybercriminals. This makes it one of the more common types of hacks to watch out for because of its potential dangers. Let’s go through some of them.
 

• Compromises navigation systems
  
  As vehicles, ships, and aircraft rely heavily on GPS for safe navigation, GPS spoofing can have life-threatening consequences. 
  
  In vehicles, spoofing can steer drivers off course into dangerous areas or unsafe routes, increasing the risk of accidents. For vessels, it may cause collision, deviation, or grounding. Planes aren’t safe either — they could easily stray from their flight path into no-fly zones.
  
  Take, for example, what happened in 2023. The aviation advisory body OPSGROUP reported a spike in GPS spoofing incidents that affected jets in the Middle East. Some planes found themselves heading toward restricted areas or entering airspace without necessary clearance.
  
  
• Impacts personal devices
  
  GPS spoofing can mess with the functionality of your personal devices by disrupting location-dependent services and apps.
  
  For instance, it can mislead your ride-sharing service, causing the system to assume you’re in a different location, which can lead to delays, penalties, or canceled rides. It can also interfere with your fitness tracker, throwing off your training and performance stats.  
  
  On a more serious note, wrong location data can slow down or hinder emergency response efforts. In critical situations, such as getting lost in the mountains, you could find yourself in dangerous circumstances due to inaccurate location information.
  
  
• Jeopardizes GPS-reliant industries
  
  Many industries count on accurate GPS data to keep things running smoothly. GPS spoofing can cause major headaches for these sectors. 
  
  For a dramatic example, modern pirates are using GPS spoofing to hijack vessels that depend on GPS coordinates for navigation. At the same time, security services that rely on GPS to trigger alarms, send alerts or track locations are undermined when spoofing is involved.
  
  On a more subtle level, shipping companies using GPS-enabled locks to ensure cargo remains sealed until reaching its destination find their security measure foiled by spoofing. Builders keeping tabs on their expensive equipment through GPS face similar challenges.
  

 

How to protect yourself from GPS spoofing

Unless you’re the one using GPS spoofing to protect privacy, prevent tracking, or play games, it can cause some serious damage. That’s why it’s crucial to protect yourself from GPS spoofing attacks. Here’s how you do it:
 

• Use encrypted GPS devices or systems
  
  Spoofing works by falsifying unencrypted signals. Switching to devices and systems that encrypt the signals they receive makes it difficult for bad actors to create valid-seeming signals. If they can’t imitate the real signals, they’ll have a hard time sending false info. 
  
  For instance, the US military uses encrypted GPS to prevent spoofing attacks that could put their operations at risk. For regular folks like you and me, opting for GPS devices or apps with encryption — when available — can help mitigate the risks of GPS spoofing.
  
  
• Employ multi-factor location verification
  
  This verification method pulls info from multiple sources to confirm your location. So, instead of relying solely on GPS, your device cross-checks data from other sources like phone towers, Wi-Fi networks, and Bluetooth. 
  
  Bad actors would need to manipulate several independent sources at the same time to pull it off. Otherwise, any GPS signal that appears suspicious or doesn’t match other location data will be flagged.
  
  Many smartphones and apps already use this method for improved accuracy. For instance, ride-sharing services combine GPS with Wi-Fi and cell tower signals to triangulate your location.
  
  
• Keep software up to date
  
  Regularly check and install updates for your GPS-enabled devices, like your phone, fitness tracker, or car navigation system. If there are any weak spots in the software or operating system, developers usually roll out patches to fix them, preventing hackers from exploiting the vulnerabilities for spoofing.
  
  Over time, hackers may also come up with new tricks to interfere with GPS signals. Software updates address these evolving threats and may even introduce stronger encryption, making it harder for spoofers to fake those signals. By keeping your devices up to date, you close security gaps and reduce the chances of spoofing. 
  
  
• Use a VPN to mask your location data
  
  A VPN (Virtual Private Network) like Surfshark masks your IP (Internet Protocol) address, a unique digital identifier used by apps, services, and even cybercriminals to determine your whereabouts. When you connect to Surfshark, it swaps out your actual IP for one from its server, making it harder for spoofers to pinpoint your location and alter your GPS data. 
  
  Hackers also often use IP addresses to zero in on your location before attempting to spoof your GPS. By concealing your IP with Surfshark, you significantly reduce the risk of being targeted. Additionally, Surfshark’s IP rotation changes your IP address periodically, further complicating coordinated attacks.
  

 

Fake locations, real risk — protect yourself from GPS spoofing

By altering your location data, GPS spoofing can cause all sorts of trouble, including faulty navigation, compromised personal devices, and disruptions in GPS-dependent industries such as transportation, logistics, and agriculture. That’s why it’s crucial to take steps to protect yourself from GPS spoofing. 

Where possible, use encrypted GPS devices and systems. Enable multi-factor location verification if it’s available. Most importantly, stay vigilant and practice good security hygiene by regularly updating software and using a VPN to mask your location.

 

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Data and info derived / lifted from Surfshark with permission