Alex Carr

I'm a BSc Computer Science student at the University of Glasgow, entering my fourth and final year of study. Initially interning at BT as a software developer, I have since interned twice at Microsoft, with my primary area of interest being Windows kernel vulnerability research.

I have recently began researching topics in aviation security, specifically vulnerabilities in digital communication protocols used in commercial aviation.


Session

08-22
16:30
20min
Ghosts in the Sky: Creating Phantom Aircraft with Mode-S Transponder Spoofing
Alex Carr

Modern commercial aircraft constantly exchange information using Mode-S transponders, ADS-B broadcasts, and TCAS collision avoidance messages. These systems help keep aircraft safely separated, but were designed before authenticated wireless communications became a security concern.

This talk provides an introduction to the protocols that underpin airborne collision avoidance and investigates whether a phantom aircraft could be introduced into the ACAS surveillance process through maliciously crafted Mode-S transmissions.

Rookie Track