---
title: "The Three Sides of Counter-Drone Cybersecurity"
date: "2021-10-27T10:00:55+00:00"
url: "http://d-fendsolutions.com/blog/the-three-sides-of-counter-drone-cybersecurity/"
description: "Offensive cyber techniques have proven to be an effective method for facilitating end-to-end rogue drone detection and controlled mitigation. Click to read more."
---

# The Three Sides of Counter-Drone Cybersecurity

The issue of cybersecurity is expanding and evolving in the drone and counter-drone spaces. Traditional cyber concerns in the drone world referred either to the vulnerability of drone data and operations to cyber-attack, or the role that drones can play in perpetrating cyber-attacks.

But nowadays, when it comes to cyber and drones, a new dimension has arisen. Offensive cyber techniques have proven to be an effective method for facilitating end-to-end [rogue drone detection](http://d-fendsolutions.com/anti-drone-detection/) and controlled mitigation.

![Drones & Cyber Security: Defense against rogue drones](http://d-fendsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Drone-image-for-cybersecurity-post-2-300x200.jpg) Let’s take a quick look at all three areas relating to cyber and drones.

## **1. Legitimate Drones’ Vulnerability to Cyber Attack**

The vulnerability of drones to cyberattack – such as when internal enterprise drones, or external supply chain partner drones, are hacked for nefarious purposes – has long been a concern. In 2011, an entire fleet of American unmanned aerial systems (UASs) were infected with a [mysterious keylogger](https://www.securityweek.com/mysterious-keylogger-infects-us-uav-fleet). In 2015, drug traffickers [succeeded in hacking U.S. surveillance drones](https://www.businessinsider.com/drug-traffickers-are-hacking-us-border-drones-2015-12#:~:text=Drug%20traffickers%20are%20hacking%20US%20surveillance%20drones%20to%20get%20past%20border%20patrol&text=Timothy%20Bennett%2C%20a%20Department%20of,being%20used%20at%20the%20border.) at the U.S. border, so they could bypass them and smuggle contraband into the U.S. These potential drone hacks remain a concern, with DroneDJ recently reporting that there is optimism that blockchain technology could help [alleviate](https://dronedj.com/2021/10/07/blockchain-tech-may-thwart-hacks-of-automated-drone-fleets/) this worry.

## **2. Hostile Drone Attacks on Cyber Systems**

A Booz Allen Hamilton [report on cybersecurity](https://www.boozallen.com/content/dam/boozallen_site/ccg/pdf/publications/top-9-cybersecurity-trends-for-2020.pdf) highlighted the role that external drones could play in corporate or governmental espionage, sabotage and surveillance:

> “The use of drones as rogue Wi-Fi access points may be one of the most simplistic yet effective tactics for targeting individuals. Drones equipped with a device like a Wi-Fi Pineapple can be placed in proximity to a targeted company and used to harvest credentials, perform man-in-the-middle attacks, and conduct network reconnaissance. Even users connected to legitimate company access points could conceivably be forced to connect to the drone’s Wi-Fi if the target’s network does not prevent forced de-authentications.”

## **3. Now There’s a New Cyber Dimension: Counter-Drone Cyber for Safety and Security**

The cyber conversation now extends beyond cybersecurity…to counter-drone, radio frequency-based (RF), [**cyber-drone takeover**](http://d-fendsolutions.com/blog/c-suas-spoofing-vs-cyber-the-contrast-is-in-the-control/) methods.

This is because takeover techniques have emerged and are being deployed as the centerpiece of an effective defense against unauthorized drones engaged in attack, smuggling or espionage.

Cyber-takeover systems detect and penetrate the unique communication signals used by commercial drones. Once detected, a cyber system can understand the drone identifiers with a classification process that distinguishes between hostile and friendly drones. Such a system can also determine the drone position with GPS accuracy, including the take-off position near the pilot in real-time.

During the mitigation process, the takeover process commences, and the pilot loses all control of the drone, including video and telemetry information, and cannot regain it.

## **The Cyber Conversation**

The innovative benefits from cyber technology methods have changed the game – “cyber” is now an important part of the anti-drone security solution, rather than being a drone problem.

What do you think about when you hear the word “cyber” in relation to drones or counter-drone measures?

Please read about D-Fend Solutions’ [anti-drone system](http://d-fendsolutions.com/enforceair/) and our solution for [expanded perimeter protection against drones](http://d-fendsolutions.com/multi-sensor-command-control-system/)