Security in UAV ecosystem: An implementation perspective

Year 2024, Volume: 42 Issue: 6, 1986 - 1994, 09.12.2024

Nikita Malik Harsh Sinha Menal Dahiya

Abstract

This paper focuses on implementational security measures to protect the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) ecosystem from malicious adversaries reducing the surface of vulnerability against the malicious intent of these threat actors. The primary objectives of this paper are incorporated in five security measures to enhance the security of UAVs by implementing light-weight cryptographic functions for firmware encryption and safeguarding Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) buses, fortifying UAV ground stations by disabling non-utilized ports, thereby minimizing potential attack vectors, mitigating threats from malicious actors by implementing an intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS) to block inorganic network traffic, obscuring the Service Set Identifier (SSID) from broadcast scans, and to reinforce security through filter scrubs and dynamic whitelisting to protect UAV systems against unauthorized access. This paper dives into different methods of the detailed implementation of the aforementioned security measures, providing insights into UAV’s configurational practices. Each measure is described and analyzed in parallel to ensure comprehensive coverage of the UAV-Ecosystem’s security. The results of this paper are both challenging and rewarding. The proposed measures help improve the security of the UAV ecosystem and protect it from different attacks. In conclusion, this paper has demonstrated the importance of implementing security measures to safeguard the UAV ecosystem from malicious threats. It is crucial to recognize that UAVs may not be entirely immune to sophisticated attackers. Nevertheless, by implementing these security measures and maintaining vigilance, we can prolong the lifespan of UAVs and the entire UAV-Ecosystem and improve their security against malicious intent.

Keywords

Intrusion Detection, Internet of Drones, Security Measures, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

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