"Spoofed" N-number -- who ya gonna call?

[pburger]

It finally happened. I got an e-mail from Flightaware that my N-number was spotted in flight, but it wasn't me. It was a "position-only" flight, but the data source was Tampa TRACON. I'm used to my actual "position-only" flights being sourced from "Flightaware ADS-B". I didn't realize that TRACON would supply position-only information to Flightaware. I always assumed the position-only flights were ones where the pilot had not checked in with an ATC facility, so that the N-number, and other info was transmitted through ADS-B. So, has someone spoofed me by configuring their ADS-B out to use my N-number and/or my Mode S code? Or, did this person check in with Tampa and either gave the wrong N-number, or Tampa typed the number in wrong? No matter what the answer is, this does beg the question, "Who do you call if someone is spoofing your ADS-B?".

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Have been spoofed before, even w/o ads-b.
No need to run to the hangar (usually!)

 

[dans2992]

I would wait to see if it happens again. I’ve had ATC mis-hear my tail number for FF before...

 

[simtech]

Mine popped up in Florida today and it clearly wasn't me. Back last year in September ish my plane was popping up daily. First time it happened I had the airport check to make sure my plane was still there. But everytime it pops up it is always in Florida.

How do you report it? I ask because if this yahoo bust a TFR or a bravo they going to come after me...no? Im ADS-b out so hopefully it could be looked up unless he has some digits off on his TXP and its reporting my tail number.

 

[James331]

Unless it becomes a issue, I wouldn’t make it an issue

 

[apr911]

Unless it becomes a issue, I wouldn’t make it an issue

To some extent, I have to disagree. If they wait until it becomes an issue to make it an issue, it might be too late.

Mine popped up in Florida today and it clearly wasn't me. Back last year in September ish my plane was popping up daily. First time it happened I had the airport check to make sure my plane was still there. But everytime it pops up it is always in Florida.

How do you report it? I ask because if this yahoo bust a TFR or a bravo they going to come after me...no? Im ADS-b out so hopefully it could be looked up unless he has some digits off on his TXP and its reporting my tail number.

While I disagree with James about not making it an issue at all, I dont know how worried I be about it. I'm sure the FAA has seen and heard of an N number being spoofed before. You certainly wouldnt be the first and you wont be the last person for it to happen to. From the sounds of things, you and your plane are no where near Florida at the time of these flights so you can easily demonstrate you aren't there. I also would note that being alerted by FlightAware gives you early warning that someone is using your N-Number but generally speaking N-number spoofing goes undetected by the pilot until the FAA is knocking on their door so you wouldn't be the first pilot to make the claim.

As to what to do, this is what I would do:
1) Get a notebook and start recording where and when your N-Number is spotted that isn't you. Also log where you are and your plane is at the same time. This would be good evidence to present to the FAA.
2) If possible get airborne in your plane ASAP. Nothing says "it wasn't me" like your plane showing up in 2 places at once or traveling impossible distances in a short period.
3) Figure out where the plane was reported and attempt to listen to ATC over on liveatc.net. Save the recording if you can find the one with your N-number (or a similar number misheard) being used.
4) Contact the ATC control in the area where your N number is being erroneously spotted and advise them of the situation and see what they say. Include reporting it in your log everytime you do report it to the local facility.

This will provide you with a nice record that CYA's if and when the FAA comes knocking

 

[donjohnston]

How do you know it was spoofed (intentionally)?

I've had mine show up before. I did some digging and it would appear to be a simple error.

 

[Tarheelpilot]

I vote for not worrying about it

 

[Stingray Don]

What was your N number again? I need to take a shortcut through Bravo.

 

[Pilawt]

Are ADS-B out-equipped aircraft showing up with spoofed numbers? I'd have thought the system would prevent that.

If numbers are manually entered, goofs are inevitable. For example, the 414 that crashed in Yorba Linda last week was N414RS, but it showed up on Flightaware as "N4RS". My airplane's number is one that does not "flow trippingly off the tongue," and it's the rare trip that a controller doesn't read it back wrong at least once. Sometimes it takes several calls to get it straightened out.

 

[1RTK1]

They never seem to get my N number right on the first try.

 

[simtech]

Are ADS-B out-equipped aircraft showing up with spoofed numbers? I'd have thought the system would prevent that.
.

My plane is ADS-B out equipped and it been spoofed a handful of time. Back in September multiple times a day flightaware would notify me. Actually if it wasn't for friends who follow me I'd never have known. Everytime its in south florida though.

The first time it happened I made a video of myself explaining where my plane is and where I was...in a camper camping.

 

[Pilawt]

My plane is ADS-B out equipped and it been spoofed a handful of time.

That's your number showing up on somebody else's airplane -- I can see how that can still happen manually. But are there instances of ADS-B equipped airplanes displaying the wrong numbers?

 

[Shepherd]

Hanlon's Razor applies, most of the time.

(corrected typo)

 

[Rgbeard]

Halon's Razor applies, most of the time.

And when that fails, Hanlon’s works well, too.

 

[Shepherd]

And when that fails, Hanlon’s works well, too.

Yup. What Rgbeard said.

 

[Chicago Bearhawk]

To some extent, I have to disagree. If they wait until it becomes an issue to make it an issue, it might be too late.



While I disagree with James about not making it an issue at all, I dont know how worried I be about it. I'm sure the FAA has seen and heard of an N number being spoofed before. You certainly wouldnt be the first and you wont be the last person for it to happen to. From the sounds of things, you and your plane are no where near Florida at the time of these flights so you can easily demonstrate you aren't there. I also would note that being alerted by FlightAware gives you early warning that someone is using your N-Number but generally speaking N-number spoofing goes undetected by the pilot until the FAA is knocking on their door so you wouldn't be the first pilot to make the claim.

As to what to do, this is what I would do:
1) Get a notebook and start recording where and when your N-Number is spotted that isn't you. Also log where you are and your plane is at the same time. This would be good evidence to present to the FAA.
2) If possible get airborne in your plane ASAP. Nothing says "it wasn't me" like your plane showing up in 2 places at once or traveling impossible distances in a short period.
3) Figure out where the plane was reported and attempt to listen to ATC over on liveatc.net. Save the recording if you can find the one with your N-number (or a similar number misheard) being used.
4) Contact the ATC control in the area where your N number is being erroneously spotted and advise them of the situation and see what they say. Include reporting it in your log everytime you do report it to the local facility.

This will provide you with a nice record that CYA's if and when the FAA comes knocking

1-4 are a lot of work, just keeping your own flights and plane log accurate takes time.

I would do 1 thing first.
Create a NASA Report it's "confidential" and has some real benefits for the type of FAA interaction you might encounter.
Also, those reports do get studied, so specifics may help in the investigation. Here is the link: https://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/

Benefit. if the other guy busts bravo, and you can't convince the FAA it wasn't you, as long as no metal was bent, you experience a much friendlier FAA.
I have not actually used this, but if I even pass through Delta un-announced, I will do this.
In fact, if you decide to land left downwind and the chart calls for right downwind at an uncontrolled airport, you should do this. You never know who will complain.

Finally these NASA Reports do help make GA more safe. They are important to the process.

These will _not_ help you Busting a VIP TFR, as that gets reported to the DEN.

 

[Sundancer]

Document it in a letter to the FAA, certified mail, copy to your lawyer, congressman, senator, and anyone else interesting - maybe AOPA and DHS. Make sure the "copy to" entities are listed on the original to the FAA. Then forget about it. . .

 

[apr911]

1-4 are a lot of work, just keeping your own flights and plane log accurate takes time.

#1 isn't all that hard; he's already getting a timestamped text message from FlightAware with all the information... I'm just suggesting he save that information in a single place. A notebook seems the easiest way to keep it all together because printing a text message or saving a screen shot is harder to do and keep it all together. Of course if FlightAware uses the same number to send its text messages each time, you could just keep it on your phone... Though recording your location and your plane's location doesn't work well in that scenario, your iPhone/Android phones have enough storage to keep the txt message indefinitely (be sure to check your settings as both phones have options to auto-prune old text messages).

#2 is really just an excuse to fly because why not.

#3 I admit is difficult because you need to figure out who they were talking to which may take listening to multiple frequencies on LiveATC which can be time consuming since they dont always line up perfectly timewise.

#4 is made easier if you know who they were talking to from LiveATC and know how ATC tagged them incorrectly but chances are for an "inflight" spotting they called a local tower or Tracon and if you know where the plane was reported by ATC, then it's not too difficult to take a guess which ATC facility to call since its likely associated with an airport. Its also probably going to be a little awkward if you dont know how they got tagged incorrectly but ATC has recordings (have to imagine they're no longer "tapes") as well and can pull the timestamped recordings quicker than anyone.

All that being said, I should add the caveat that I would only do this if you start seeing your N-number pop up frequently and are therefore reasonably assured someone is actually maliciously spoofing your N-Number. As others have noted FlightAware is prone to errors in associating N-Numbers with flights and sometimes its just a miscommunication or typo on the part of the pilot/ATC. Hanlon's Razor does apply and I wouldn't be too worried about it for the odd occurrence here or there.

I would also note that someone maliciously spoofing your N-Number is likely doing so for a reason that is not associated with being able to do whatever the h*ll they want as it pertains to airspaces. In other words, they are unlikely to bust an airspace if they are actually spoofing your N-Number with intent. Ask any driver who's ever driven without a drivers license or insurance how they did it without getting caught, the answer is the same... Its really simple, you just become the most rule abiding driver on the road; if you dont get stopped, you dont get caught.

 

[will44s]

Reading the AIM it sounds like each transmitter has a unique serial number built into the hardware that is sent with the data packet. Sort off like a MAC address.
The installer or user can put any tail number, call sign or anonymous mode but the unique serial number is still sent. If that's the case it should be relatively easy to prove yourself innocent if a spoofer violates airspace.

edit: may have been a garmin installation manual and not the aim.

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Certainly someone could have programmed their unit incorrectly (at which point, they should find out quickly, because they won't get ADS-B "test" results.)

 

[Stingray Don]

Spoofed N-number -- who ya gonna call?

 

[dans2992]

Reading the AIM it sounds like each transmitter has a unique serial number built into the hardware that is sent with the data packet. Sort off like a MAC address.
The installer or user can put any tail number, call sign or anonymous mode but the unique serial number is still sent. If that's the case it should be relatively easy to prove yourself innocent if a spoofer violates airspace.

edit: may have been a garmin installation manual and not the aim.

Not quite. The 6-digit ICAO hex code is programmable by the installer. In the US, it is linked to registration numbers by a predefined formula.

 

[ARFlyer]

Could be a simple miskey in the tail # scratch pad.

If it starts happening regularly in the same area I call your local FSDO and ask to speak with a supervisor. They should be able to at least tell you who to call.

I’d hate to be the person assigned to a PD that involves something like this. I’d end up banging my head against the wall as it would quickly spiral into a he said she said argument.

 

[jesse]

Reading the AIM it sounds like each transmitter has a unique serial number built into the hardware that is sent with the data packet. Sort off like a MAC address.
The installer or user can put any tail number, call sign or anonymous mode but the unique serial number is still sent. If that's the case it should be relatively easy to prove yourself innocent if a spoofer violates airspace.

edit: may have been a garmin installation manual and not the aim.

ADS-B is not cryptographically secure - as there is no crypto even involved. Anyone can broadcast an ADS-B position with any tail number or serial number. They can also easily spoof the GPS data along with it. You can reconfigure an ADS-B box. Or you can simply build the transmitter yourself using some parts off eBay.

$100 tops and a few hours worth of work and it’s trivial to broadcast any aircraft youd like. You could draw a Congo line of 100 747s on final and even have them tracking appropriately.

ADS-B can’t do what the government promised. There is nothing secure about it. It’s a system that always trusts whatever it receives.

 

[rocketflyer84]

I wouldn’t worry about it. Likely just ATC typing in the wrong N number for someone on flight following.

 

[BigBadLou]

I wouldn’t worry about it. Likely just ATC typing in the wrong N number for someone on flight following.

^^^^ That

Happens a lot. More than you think and expect. You just happened to see it on one tail #.
We are all humans, pilots and ATC. We all make mistakes. This is likely just a silly mistake.
If it starts happening regularly in the same area, it would raise an eyebrow. Otherwise usually just a single mistake.

 

[midwestpa24]

I wouldn't make too much out of it. Certainly wouldn't worry about it. No need for lawyers, documenting or anything of that nature.

 

[Sundancer]

ADS-B is not cryptographically secure - as there is no crypto even involved. Anyone can broadcast an ADS-B position with any tail number or serial number. They can also easily spoof the GPS data along with it. You can reconfigure an ADS-B box. Or you can simply build the transmitter yourself using some parts off eBay.

$100 tops and a few hours worth of work and it’s trivial to broadcast any aircraft youd like. You could draw a Congo line of 100 747s on final and even have them tracking appropriately.

ADS-B can’t do what the government promised. There is nothing secure about it. It’s a system that always trusts whatever it receives.

$8B and we get Larry Lightbulb. Again.

PS
Add $15.00 to the eBay account and build a GPS jammer - add a car battery and shut it diwn over 25 square miles. . .

 

[Katamarino]

ADS-B is not cryptographically secure - as there is no crypto even involved. Anyone can broadcast an ADS-B position with any tail number or serial number. They can also easily spoof the GPS data along with it. You can reconfigure an ADS-B box. Or you can simply build the transmitter yourself using some parts off eBay.

$100 tops and a few hours worth of work and it’s trivial to broadcast any aircraft youd like. You could draw a Congo line of 100 747s on final and even have them tracking appropriately.

ADS-B can’t do what the government promised. There is nothing secure about it. It’s a system that always trusts whatever it receives.

The benefit of this is that if they ever start using it for billing by the mile or something absurd like that, we can get a few spoofers on the go and completely shut it down!

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

drug cartels......

 

[Palmpilot]

The benefit of this is that if they ever start using it for billing by the mile or something absurd like that, we can get a few spoofers on the go and completely shut it down!

Civil Disobedience!

 

[Kenny Phillips]

$8B and we get Larry Lightbulb. Again.

PS
Add $15.00 to the eBay account and build a GPS jammer - add a car battery and shut it diwn over 25 square miles. . .

And go to prison.

 

[danhagan]

Benefit. if the other guy busts bravo, and you can't convince the FAA it wasn't you,

I wouldn’t worry about it. Likely just ATC typing in the wrong N number for someone on flight following.

When I bought my Tiger, I was the only one at all 4 airports in my area flying a Tiger. Shortly after, another Tiger was purchased (also blue/white) and to make things fun that pilot's first name is also Dan and he's also mid 50's like myself.

One of us (not me) flew the southern side of Mount Christo Rey which is definite mexican airspace and landed KDNA (we're both at the same field) ... one of us also doesn't use any part of their N number, just broadcasting "blue & white Tiger right base" etc. There's an LOA allowing that Mexican airspace over-flight *IF* on FF or contact with El Paso Approach.

Juarez was mad about the "illegal crossing" which had the El Paso tower calling my field Dona Ana to see who just landed. Manager called me, just after I landed at Austin Exec to see my son ... in my plane. I shot him a selfiein front of the Austin Exec FBO. Amazing that both planes landed in different cities within a few minutes of each other ...

Dan2 now flies a Bonanza and I'm in the RV7, so no issues now

 

[frfly172]

Until they come to take you away,I wouldn’t worry about it,probably just a simple typing error.

 

[Sundancer]

And go to prison.

Discussing vulnerabilities, vice advocacy of action.

 

[pburger]

AGAIN!!! First, it was a "position-only" flight in Florida. Now, a flight plan has been filed from Syracuse to Rochester using my N-number. It was scheduled to depart a few minutes ago, but no sign of any such flight on FlightAware. I was expecting to see a similar N-number make the flight, but I didn't see that on FlightAware.

Let's see...
My gmail and Amazon accounts were hacked by Russians in Jan 2018.
I was hit with ransomware in Jan 2019.
Now this.....

 

[pburger]

Okay. I see my N-number in the scheduled arrivals at Rochester with the note "delayed". I didn't see any other GA flights near the same time coming into Rochester. Probably just a typo by somebody.

But, this begs the question, what if someone wanted to completely mess with someone and just started filing flight plans all over the place? Does the FAA keep track of the source of flight plan filings? Let's say it came from Fltplan.com or some other source, that source could at least track down the user that filed the plan. I'm not saying that someone is messing with me, I would bet that's not the case, but it seems like it would be pretty easy for someone to do that.

 

[simtech]

My plane is once again in Florida flying right this second yet here my plane sits in MS. It's getting rather annoying. Its always in florida flying basically the same route.

 

[ElPaso Pilot]

My plane is once again in Florida flying right this second yet here my plane sits in MS. It's getting rather annoying. Its always in florida flying basically the same route.

Call the airport when they land and ask to ID the N number for you.