SECURITY against :Hacking a drone - Worries of theft in flight

[Carlos Velandia]

Somebody told me there were drones being hacked and stolen while on flight. I want to be sure and implement safety and security against it. I googled this matter and have seen that this is possible making me worried. You Can Hijack Nearly Any Drone Mid-flight Using This Tiny Gadget (this is just one website for example)

I own a PHANTOM 4 and want to protect my investment from this, what do I do? I read some other pages about a VPN, but wanted you guys to give me a hand as I am new to this. I fly in a city with ports and do maintenance to CCTV cameras in 40 meter towers and using it to show customers our labor as a plus, so it is in danger of hackers as the city has its ports inside.

This is a test flight but just in front are the ports we do maintenance.

As a precaution we acquired the Itelite DBS Extender ITE-DBS-MR01.2W MaxxRange 14dBi as we are getting constant messages about interference and now want implement security. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[FlyGary]

I don't think the newer DJI products have this problem with this device since the transmission from controller to aircraft is encrypted. That is based on what I have seen on other forums. I would be more worried of a jammed or lost signal. But if RTH is properly setup and you are not flying in sport mode, it should come home to you. I only mention non sport since the obstance avoidance system is turned off.

 

[Richard R]

I don't think the newer DJI products have this problem with this device since the transmission from controller to aircraft is encrypted. That is based on what I have seen on other forums. I would be more worried of a jammed or lost signal. But if RTH is properly setup and you are not flying in sport mode, it should come home to you. I only mention non sport since the obstance avoidance system is turned off.

i agree, and the signal would have to be more powerful than that from the RC which means that it wouldn't likely be a long range capability. Jamming is a more likely scenario, but again a single strong enough to jam is going to interfere with other commercial signals and that can get the FCC down on you in a hurry. Most likely cause of a lost bird in the foreseeable future is, IMO, pilot error!

 

[anotherlab]

RTH only works if your drone can tell where home is. The DSMx attack is not the only way to mess with a drone. There are GPS Spoofers and jammers. A nice scary list of drone attack types: How Can Drones Be Hacked? The updated list of vulnerable drones & attack tools. Another scary part of a GPS spoof is if you lose sight of your drone because the GPS was interfered with, then the lat/lon logged by the DJI Go app will be wrong.

Also, while the communication between the controller and the aircraft is encrypted over DSMx, the encryption key that controller and the aircraft use is not encrypted and a brute force attack will give up that key. This does affect the newer DJI models.

 

[Les Davidson]

This is an interesting post. Do DJI have any input re future updates. I do not want to lose my P4.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[N017RW]

Guys/Gals, your chances of having your drone hi-jacked, in the USA, by this method is all but nill.

Imagine the list of factors (coincidences) required for this to happen (to you).

 

[Carlos Velandia]

Spoke with DJI support:

In this case Carlos, in connecting our drone to the controller, you need to pair it manually. Now once the drone is already connected, it will not be paired into other devices , which mean it cannot be hacked by them since the connection is only for 1 controller and mobile device.

That they cannot be hacked easily...

I am not quite convinced with the answer. Support did not understand my concern. (my appreciation)

 

[Carlos Velandia]

Guys/Gals, your chances of having your drone hi-jacked, in the USA, by this method is all but nill.

Imagine the list of factors (coincidences) required for this to happen (to you).

I am in Colombia, where if you can find a way to get an expensive item for free... you'e ON!!! This is very expensive item as minimum wage for a person is US$200 a month.

 

[N017RW]

Well to have the equipment and expertise required, the thief being up and ready when you happen to fly, you flying within range of this thief are not likely to ever align.

Worrying over this is wasted effort.

 

[anotherlab]

Well to have the equipment and expertise required, the thief being up and ready when you happen to fly, you flying within range of this thief are not likely to ever align.

Worrying over this is wasted effort.

I think there is a higher risk of a someone shooting down the AC than there is with someone hijacking it.

 

[N017RW]

I think there is a higher risk of a someone shooting down the AC than there is with someone hijacking it.

Yea!

And we have proof that it has happened as well.

 

[Mr. Salty]

I think there is a higher risk of a someone shooting down the AC than there is with someone hijacking it.

It would also be a lot easier for someone to just stick a gun in your face to steal your drone than go through this elaborate hacking routine.

 

[anotherlab]

I don't think it's about stealing the drone. It's more about disrupting the usage of a drone. I would guess that anything that disrupts GPS usage would get law enforcement involved very quickly. If you jam or spoof a drone, you are jamming or spoofing all GPS receivers near by. Which could have dire consequences for police, fire, and EMS services.

 

[Meta4]

Somebody told me there were drones being hacked and stolen while on flight. I want to be sure and implement safety and security against it. I googled this matter and have seen that this is possible making me worried. You Can Hijack Nearly Any Drone Mid-flight Using This Tiny Gadget (this is just one website for example)

I'm very concerned too.
Having my drone hijacked by malicious hackers who just happen to be waiting where I fly, when I fly is right there on my worry list between zombies and werewolves.

As a precaution we acquired the Itelite DBS Extender ITE-DBS-MR01.2W MaxxRange 14dBi as we are getting constant messages about interference and now want implement security. Any help would be appreciated.

You always get interference in an urban or industrial environment - it is not a security issue.

 

[dwallersv]

Spoke with DJI support:

In this case Carlos, in connecting our drone to the controller, you need to pair it manually. Now once the drone is already connected, it will not be paired into other devices , which mean it cannot be hacked by them since the connection is only for 1 controller and mobile device.

That they cannot be hacked easily...

I am not quite convinced with the answer. Support did not understand my concern. (my appreciation)

Me neither.

All the thief has to do is spoof whatever token the RC sends to identify itself as the paired device, and the drone won't be the wiser.

Pairing is inherently insecure. Encryption, on the other hand, can be bulletproof. Doesn't sound like DJI is using such encryption, which is puzzling because hardware to do ironclad private-key RSA high-bitcount transforms is all over the place.

 

[FlyGary]

It would also be a lot easier for someone to just stick a gun in your face to steal your drone than go through this elaborate hacking routine.

I was actually thinking along those lines. (Not actually doing it) But the low cost method of acquisition is forcabilly take the controller and whatever else you have on you. Much easier that hacking it and then you have the full flight package.

Carlos, that was not intended to be a slight toward Columbia. I have heard there are wonderful part of the country and much more to it than we hear on the news. It would apply to just about any part of the world.

 

[Carlos Velandia]

I was actually thinking along those lines. (Not actually doing it) But the low cost method of acquisition is forcabilly take the controller and whatever else you have on you. Much easier that hacking it and then you have the full flight package.

Carlos, that was not intended to be a slight toward Columbia. I have heard there are wonderful part of the country and much more to it than we hear on the news. It would apply to just about any part of the world.

Well maybe I get mistaken on my words but people here or any where would like to own a drone and there are just some individuals that do would anything to steal. We have here in Colombia tragic and sad stories about people being killed for stealing their mobile phones. Every country has their insecure places. I lived in London - Chelsea area and had 5 bicycles stolen as well as being stolen a mobile phone on the street by guys on bikes. I am just being extra cautious by getting the best antenna out there for interference problem and get a better security against hack. Today the port asked me for further flights that I need the PILOT LICENCE and INSURANCE POLICY because the drone could go down and kill someone (drone failure or hacking) by any reason or lose the drone (normal documentation - no licence is needed for non-comercial flight ).

About scenery, yes we have here beautiful scenery. My company is in Cartagena and is one of the top cities in the world ranked.

 

[Carlos Velandia]

I'm very concerned too.
Having my drone hijacked by malicious hackers who just happen to be waiting where I fly, when I fly is right there on my worry list between zombies and werewolves.

You always get interference in an urban or industrial environment - it is not a security issue.

Yes I understand difference, that is why I got as I believe the best antenna out there but now want to tackle the security issue mentioned before.

 

[FlyGary]

[QUOTE="Carlos Velandia, post: 1052016, member: 80680

As a precaution we acquired the Itelite DBS Extender ITE-DBS-MR01.2W MaxxRange 14dBi as we are getting constant messages about interference and now want implement security. Any help would be appreciated.[/QUOTE]

I have used that same antenna with good results. I assume you mean the P4 and and the P4P since I don't think that have a newer model for it. ALso have you done the channel hack to add more channels to the RF. You may have access to something like this also which could help you find frequencies that are less used.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T5KGYEM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Carlos Velandia]

[QUOTE="Carlos Velandia, post: 1052016, member: 80680

As a precaution we acquired the Itelite DBS Extender ITE-DBS-MR01.2W MaxxRange 14dBi as we are getting constant messages about interference and now want implement security. Any help would be appreciated.

I have used that same antenna with good results. I assume you mean the P4 and and the P4P since I don't think that have a newer model for it. ALso have you done the channel hack to add more channels to the RF. You may have access to something like this also which could help you find frequencies that are less used.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T5KGYEM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1[/QUOTE]

Antenna is on its way with clean install kit. Additional batteries also. Have done the hack on my mobile but not tried it as we have been busy. Will fly the end of the week. I need to be ready on pilot skills as I got a proposal to shoot a video on a new tow boat built of a shipyard to show their product. So I will be on the sea and making a point of interest take.
Have rooted a SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S 10.5 and removed all bloatware and making it very fast for using it exclusively for the drone. Also making the hack to it about the channels. Will update as soon as all hardware arrives on this matter.
Here is a video of a demo flight done to the port.