Israel-based Mobilicom has launched a full cycle cybersecurity system as part of its field-proven end-to-end smart solution for drones, robotics and autonomous vehicles. Its new Immunity Cybersecurity and Encryption (ICE) is the first-of-its-kind multi-faceted and multi-layered suite that autonomously protects the platform, safeguards communication channels, and encrypts collected and transmitted data.
Real Cyber Threats
Cybersecurity often remains an afterthought for drones, robots and autonomous vehicles, from both a regulatory and operational standpoint, despite the fact that real threats occur on a daily basis to these systems.
For three years, the European Strike 3 Project measured the number of jamming attacks to non-military Global Navigation and Satellite System (GNSS) systems, upon which autonomous systems rely for accurate position, navigation and timing. The team monitored, captured and analyzed GNSS incursions on 40 stations deployed in 23 countries. Of 450,000 GNSS interference signals, jammer signals accounted for 59,000 of the 73,000 that constituted “major interferences.” Many interferences lasted for more than one hour.
In addition to jamming, other cyber threats to autonomous systems such as spoofing and hijacking, eavesdropping and operating system (OS) attacks, among others.
Oren Elkayam, CEO and Co-Founder of Mobilicom explained,
“There are many different vectors for cyber attacks in both military or commercial autonomous systems. Drones and robotics, in most cases, remain highly susceptible to these critical safety and security threats.”
Vulnerable Systems
The unique characteristics of drones – decentralized control, wireless operation across remote vicinities, GNSS dependency, physical vulnerability and the absence of cloud security- all contribute to their cyber vulnerability.
Elkayam has witnessed real-world interruptions first-hand in Israel. He fully appreciates the cyber threat picture. In addition to his military service, he spent years as a C-Level Executive for several high tech companies including Sortech Ltd, a nano-powder materials technology company and Runcom Ltd, a Silicon Valley broadband mobile communications company.
“On the commercial side, we saw seaport robotic cranes in our harbors experiencing interference when truck drivers plugged low-cost spoofing tech into their lighters,”
he said. This impacted equipment as far as 100 meters away.
Working with the Israeli government and other industries around the world led Elkayam to drive a three year effort at Mobilicom analyzing the unique cybersecurity challenges to autonomous platforms.
Autonomous Protection
Mobilicom develops smart components to reshape the future of unmanned systems. Its field-proven smart solutions portfolio consists of cloud management software, datalinks, mesh networking, mobile handheld controllers and professional services.
Its latest innovation, the Immunity, Cybersecurity and Encryption (ICE) Cybersecurity suite, is the first 360 degree solution to autonomously detect, prevent and respond to cyber breaches and malicious attacks in real time.
ICE recognizes, prevents, alerts and acts to keep drone operations safe. This light weight and low power multi-layered suite developed for autonomous platforms uses multi-model AI systems and machine learning. It includes anti-spoofing and hacking and real time response to multiple drones or robotics’ cyber threats in real-time, without requiring operator intervention.
The system kicks in preflight and senses the environment with cognitive radar. This identifies other nearby friendly systems nearby and deconflicts channels. It can also detect threats of jammed frequencies that cannot be used. It chooses clear frequencies.
While flying, ICE also detects cyber threats. It can sense a potential problem, such as electromagnetic waves from either a cellphone tower or a jammer. Once detected, an interference avoidance system kicks in that classifies various threat levels and alerts the operator. The system can also solve the problem, by jumping to a different frequency. In a GPS-denial attack situation, it can take over and land the vehicle safely.
According to Elkayam, the ICE cybersecurity suite sets a new standard for safety and security of unmanned platforms, protecting them against more than 10 different types of cyber breaches and malicious attacks.
“When something is wrong, the system raises the flag, from green to yellow to orange, all the way up to the red zone,” he explained. “When things go really bad, we will help operators navigate their drone back home.”
Part of a Holistic Smart Solution Set
ICE is the latest edition to Mobilicom’s extensive communications and networking solutions that include an innovative cloud-based mesh network between users and platforms.
The company caters to government and enterprise drone, robotics and teleoperated system manufacturers. It offers solutions for defense, homeland security and first responder market verticals. It has integrated its hardware and software into more than 70 types of drones, robotics and unmanned platforms across public safety, security, disaster relief, maritime sectors. Its global customers include Elbit Systems, Teledyne-Flir, Israel Aerospace Industries, Azur Drones, to name a few.
Its related subordinate brand, SkyHopper, provides commercial, industrial drone and robotics system manufacturers with solutions for security and surveillance, process industry, infrastructure inspection and delivery market applications. Skyhopper’s end-to-end hardware and software smart solutions are embedded in numerous customer platforms such as Airbus, Sarcos, Swift Engineering, Censys Technologies.
For both the commercial or defense markets, Mobilicom provides primary, professional and premium level integrated solutions. It can incorporate its cybersecurity software into its range of end-to-end smart solutions across both the Mobilicom and SkyHopper brands.
“These pieces can be bundled,” Elkayam explained. “Businesses can start with something basic and then increase the protections.”
The company also provides an add-on software licensing module.
Mobilicom’s end-to-end partnerships benefit customers by maximizing drone and robotic system performance through fully integrated components, stronger security and protection levels, and high-end quality logistic support.
“Our goal as an end-to-end provider is to eliminate complexities and ensure peace of mind for our customers, across the board, from workflow to cybersecurity,”
said Elkayam.