[ntp:questions] GPS Weakness Could Sink Wireless

Rob nomail at example.com
Thu Dec 12 19:15:59 UTC 2013


Jan Ceuleers <jan.ceuleers at computer.org> wrote:
> Interesting Light Reading article on the degree to which infrastructure
> (in casu wireless networks) is dependent on GPS timing signals, how
> little is needed to jam GPS (intentionally or otherwise), and what the
> impact of such jamming would be.
>
> It also talks about how PTP might or might not mitigate some of these
> issues.
>
> http://www.lightreading.com/mobile/mobile-security/were-jamming-gps-weakness-could-sink-wireless/d/d-id/706895

It depends on the structure of the network and the required accuracy.
Remember that the usual GPS jamming methods are quite local in nature.

You can jam my GPS but that won't take out my DCF77 receiver or the
three GPS-synced servers I have configured as internet NTP sources.
Nor will it take out my peer server that itself has DCF77 and some
other internet time sources, that are again synced to different other
servers.

Of course it is possible to jam everything, just not very likely.
In a mobile network, it should be possible to get time information
both from the local GPS receiver and via the glass/microwave link
as a backup.



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