A Review of Recent Advances and Security Challenges in Emerging E-Enabled Aircraft Systems

Abstract

The continuing increase in air traffic, along with airline operators gradually adopting IP-based network technologies, has led to the transformational concept of e-Enabled or ''connected'' aircraft. This new framework envisions a single aeronautical communications architecture connecting across the entire spectrum of the aviation sector. However, due to the complex and multidimensional nature of aviation operations, no single technology can achieve the above goal. Instead, building an integrated system which uses multiple communication protocols and architectures, as well as cloud computing and big data analytics, is the most promising way forward. Hence this paper surveys the latest trends in emerging network communication systems for commercial aviation. A range of cyber-threats is then identified for the e-Enabled aircraft paradigm, followed by discussions on related solution methodologies. Note that the topics related to military aviation security are not considered here.INDEX TERMS Security, connected aircraft, e-Enabled aircraft, aircraft communication, threats. I. INTRODUCTIONAircraft communications is evolving from a conventional radar-based setup to a highly-networked framework via the gradual infusion of many wireless communication technologies, e.g., such as satellite communications (SATCOM), Wi-Max, L-band Digital Aeronautical Communication Systems (LDCAS), Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System (Aero-MACS), etc. In this new e-Enabled aircraft paradigm, it is envisioned that all key aviation applications and services will be connected to a single integrated communication system built using a range of technologies, e.g., Internet Protocol (IP) networking, global positioning system (GPS) satellites, and other radio frequency (RF) systems (Figure 2). In particular, notable evolutions hereThe associate editor coordinating the review of this manuscript and approving it for publication was Muhammad Khandaker.

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“…Additionally, we describe general and specific mitigation measures for these threats. Table 1 summarizes a comparison between our study and those documented in other related review articles [10], [16], [19]- [21]. On application of our proposed cybersecurity risk assessment methodology, the communication system with the threat of highest risk level is determined to be VHF voice communication, while that with the lowest risk level is CPDLC.…”

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“…Furthermore, it did not identify potential threats related to other communication, navigation, and surveillance systems. The authors of [21] addressed cybersecurity in CPDLC, the Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), GPS, and ADS-B, but did not address cybersecurity in other air navigation systems, such as VHF voice communication, the ground-based augmentation systems (GBAS), satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), SSR, and SWIM. Similar to [16], the aforementioned review article did not provide a cybersecurity risk assessment for the systems presented.…”