Large Scale Collaborative Detection and Location of Threats in the Electromagnetic Space

Abstract

In the 21st century, the security of the electromagnetic spectrum has tremendous strategic importance to society. In particular, the wireless infrastructure that carries vital services such as 5G cellular networks, communication to aircraft and Global Navigation Satellite System is especially critical. This rapid change is even more impressive considering that in the 80s the only concern for spectrum management was mostly about radio/television broadcasting and military communications. The allocation of spectrum has become over the years more and more complex with different players and stakeholders that depend on largely of their correct operation. However, today, the cost of commodity radio technology prices is so low that access to it is no longer restricted to governments and network operators. It is now affordable to individuals, giving them the potential to become malicious intruders. More frequent and more sophisticated threats from such infiltrators could wreak havoc and are among the most serious challenges faced by society. Unauthorized transmissions could threaten the operation of networks used by air traffic control systems, police, security and emergency services in populated areas. The SOCRATES (Large Scale Collaborative Detection and Location of Threats in the Electromagnetic Space, Grant G5461) project started in June 2018 and aims to deliver a security system to protect our electromagnetic environment and the services and users that depend upon it. SOCRATES will provide an accurate, autonomous, fast and secure system based on a novel and disruptive IoT (Internet of Things) architecture. By detecting and locating unusual RF signal and source activity it will identify intruders in the electromagnetic space, before a threat can become serious, learning about its physical layer features and its geographic location. By providing the capability to detect, identify and locate potential threats to electromagnetic infrastructure security, SOCRATES represents an important step in ensuring society's readiness to respond effectively to them. SOCRATES will shield economic and social structures from those who would harm them. In this contribution we present a summary of published results achieved in the first year of the project, how funds from SOCRATES have foster the collaboration between NATO countries Spain and Belgium and partner country Switzerland, including the activities led by Electrosense as partner country.