Analysis of Message Attacks in Aviation Data-Link Communication

In aviation communication system, VHF data-link message is used to transmit flight status, airport control instructions as well as the other sensitive information. Radio-transmitted information can be intercepted or tampered with, leading to the disclosure of private data, illegal control, and hijacking. This paper analyzed three attack routes of monitoring, entity camouflage, and man-in-the-middle attack. Man-in-the-middle attack was also able to work in next generation aviation communication networks. Two viable experiments were designed to test data-link message attacks including information leakage and the entity camouflage attack. These experiments may also be used as penetration tests of secure of aviation communication system.