Drones are increasingly popular devices for both recreational and commercial use. They are now found in various industries and used to transport goods and surveillance purposes.
As the number of drones in the sky increases, the question of security is becoming increasingly important. Privacy issues aside, a rogue drone has the capacity to damage both people and property should it be directed towards them. So, can drones be hacked? And if they can be, how would a hacker do it?
Can Drones Be Hacked?
Drones are similar to computers, and because of this, they are a potential target of hacking. Drones are also controlled using radio waves. This means that a potential attacker wouldn't even need physical access to the drone in order to take control of it.
Drones are equipped with security features, and it's not believed that drones are hacked very often. But they are vulnerable to hacking, and anybody who uses a drone should be aware of this.
How Can Someone Hack a Drone?
A drone can be hacked by intercepting the signal between the drone itself and the person controlling it. This would be impossible if the signal is encrypted, but many drones use unencrypted communication.
This allows a hacker to use a packet sniffer to determine how communication is occurring. The attacker can then impersonate the drone operator and begin issuing commands.
GPS spoofing is often used for this purpose. This involves feeding the drone false coordinates. The drone can then be convinced to fly to a location of the attacker's choice.
It's worth noting that all of this assumes a certain level of expertise from the potential drone hacker. If an attacker only wants to crash a drone, this can be achieved much easier using a signal jammer.
A signal jammer prevents the drone controller from communicating with the drone, and many drones will immediately crash as a result.
Why Would Someone Hack a Drone?
A drone may be hacked for a variety of different reasons. In some instances, someone might simply want to crash it. The attacker might not like what the drone is doing; in other cases, they might choose to crash the drone because they just want to see if it's possible.
A more professional hacker may attempt to physically steal the drone. After accessing the controls, they could simply instruct it to land next to them. We might see this become more common when more drones are used as delivery devices.
A drone can also be hacked in to steal its information. The attacker might watch the camera feed or download any files being stored on the device.
How to Protect Your Drone From Hacking
If you own a drone, you can take many precautions to ensure that your device isn't hacked. Below, we've listed a selection of options.
1. Protect Your Controller
If you're serious about protecting your drone, it's important to protect the device that controls it. If that device gets malware, your drone is at risk. One option is to use a dedicated device for your drone.
The other option is to be very careful what you download onto your phone or computer and install a reputable antivirus program.
2. Keep Your Drone's Software Updated
If your drone manufacturer provides software updates, you should make sure that these updates are promptly installed. These updates often include fixes for potential security issues.
3. Install Security Software
Depending on the type of drone that you have, it may be possible to add software that makes it harder to hack. The threat of hacking is real in several industries, and many products have been released to protect against it.
4. Watch Where You Fly
It's possible to pick up a drone’s signal from up to a mile away. Because of this, when you fly in urban areas, you are significantly increasing the number of people who could potentially try to take control of it. Some people also recommend not flying the same route repeatedly.
5. Implement Return to Home
Most drones have a Return to Home feature. Once turned on, this causes your drone to return to a specific address if it loses signal or runs low on power. This feature was created because drones often lose signal accidentally, but it also provides useful protection against signal jamming.
Can Military Drones Be Hacked?
Military drones have much better security than commercial drones, but this doesn't necessarily mean that they cannot be hacked. In 2011, a US military drone was allegedly hacked in Iran—as reported by the BBC. The attackers apparently managed to trick the drone into thinking it was somewhere else and then landed it in Iranian territory.
In 2009, a US military drone was also hacked in Iraq for the purpose of accessing surveillance videos—as reported by the Guardian.
Drones Are Also Used by Hackers
Drones are often the target of hackers, but they can also be used as tools by hackers. Many hacks require that the attacker is within a certain distance of a target. And a drone is potentially ideal for this purpose.
A drone can be used to look for unsecured networks. If it finds one, it may allow a hacker to access confidential information or plant malware.
A drone can also be used to deposit a Raspberry Pi into a secure location, such as on the top of a building. The device could then be used to create a malicious Wi-Fi hotspot.
It's worth noting that this threat is also very difficult to protect against. In the United States, it's illegal to shoot down a drone regardless of where it's operating.
Most Drones Can Potentially Be Hacked; Protect Yourself
You might never have thought of worrying about a hacked drone, but it is possible. If they're hacked, they're vulnerable to theft—and in some cases, they could potentially be used as weapons. If you own a drone, it's important to understand this and to take steps to prevent it from occurring.
Drones are still primarily used for innocent purposes, but if you see a drone behaving erratically, a hacker may be controlling it. Therefore, security professionals should look for drones flying over their premises.
