Report says GPS is vulnerable to terrorist attacks

Jan. 10, 2002
A new report from Washington-based research and educational group The Heritage Foundation says the Global Positioning System (GPS) is vulnerable to terrorist disruption and immediate steps should be taken to boost its security. The report, "Defending the American Homeland," sets priorities for protecting the nation's infrastructure, strengthening civil defense, improving intelligence and modifying
A new report from Washington-based research and educational group The Heritage Foundation says the Global Positioning System (GPS) is vulnerable to terrorist disruption and immediate steps should be taken to boost its security.

The report, "Defending the American Homeland," sets priorities for protecting the nation's infrastructure, strengthening civil defense, improving intelligence and modifying military operations. The report says GPS has important defense and civilian applications and also plays a critical role in telecommunications, the national electrical grid, the financial sector and the transportation industry.

The report suggests that the GPS should be classified as "critical infrastructure." The authors suggest GPS is vulnerable because it uses a very low-power signal that can be interrupted, and adds that Russia is actively marketing GPS jamming equipment.

Another report, completed for the Dept. of Transportation in August, acknowledges the threat of GPS jamming. The threat to safety, environmental and economic transportation concerns could be "severe," it said.

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Tim Parry

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