Russian-linked electronic warfare equipment which creates false GPS signals has been used thousands of times – including outside of the country's own territories. Using data collected by the International Space Station (ISS), researchers found GPS spoofing technology being used in Russian controlled areas of Syria.
The tech works by manipulating Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) into believing they are located elsewhere. GNSS is a catch-all term for satellite-based navigation systems, including: GPS, the Russian GLONASS, Europe's Galileo and China's Beidou.
A new report from C4ADS, a non-profit organisation focussing on conflict and security, found 9,883 cases of GNSS spoofing. Because of the widespread use of GPS-style technologies – in navigation, mobile phone networks, and stock markets – false signals have the potential to cause widespread disruption.
C4ADS says spoofing has affected 1,311 commercial ships in and around Russian waters since February 2016. "C4ADS detected at least 7,910 instances where victim vessels located outside of Russian territorial waters fell victim to GNSS spoofing activity, potentially posing a risk to maritime navigational safety," the group says in its report.