Lightweight secure authentication protocol for automatic dependent surveillance broadcast system

This article highlights the importance of Air Traffic Control in ensuring the security and efficiency of international aviation operations. Traditional RADAR systems face limitations in power consumption, coverage, and accuracy, leading to the development of innovative solutions like the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system. However, the open nature of ADS-B’s unencrypted signals poses security challenges, allowing attackers to intercept and manipulate data. To address this, the paper emphasizes the need for symmetric authentication, which uses shared secret keys through schemes like Message Authentication Codes and block cipher encryption. The choice between these methods depends on factors such as security, performance, and usability. Symmetric authentication is a practical solution, requiring robust shared keys and careful encryption algorithm selection. The research underscores the need for secure ADS-B systems and the trade-offs required in designing authentication schemes.