Technológia

Európa vs. kybernetické hrozby: Galileo spúšťa službu na ochranu miliárd

Faced with a rising wave of cyberattacks and global GNSS signal disruptions, Galileo has launched the Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA). It sounds like a tech breakthrough, but is it enough to truly keep users safe?

4 min čítania · 16 okt 2025

Michalina Szpyrka ·

Galileo: Europe’s homegrown satellite system

Since 2016, the European Union has been developing its own global navigation satellite system – Galileo. It provides precise location and timing data, relied upon by billions of users worldwide. Its signals support not just smartphones, but also critical sectors like transport, energy, agriculture, and finance. Estimates suggest that about 10% of the EU economy depends on such services.

The system includes 24 satellites orbiting 23,000 km above Earth, plus a sophisticated ground infrastructure. Fully EU-owned and civil-controlled, it differs from other global systems like the U.S. GPS. Most Galileo services are free and open to everyone.

Galileo offers services such as an open signal for mobile devices, an emergency response system that reduces the time to locate people in danger, high-precision positioning (up to 20 cm) for drones and autonomous vehicles, and secure signals for public authorities. This supports everyday operations in sectors from smart energy grids to banking, where accurate time synchronization is critical.

Second-generation Galileo is being rolled out, with twelve new satellites featuring upgraded atomic clocks, antennas, and in-orbit software updates. A Satellite Emergency Warning Service is also planned, set to deliver alerts about natural disasters and failures directly to mobile devices from 2025. These innovations aim to keep Galileo a pillar of European technological independence and security.

A new chapter: OSNMA

OSNMA addresses a longstanding issue in GNSS systems – the lack of verification for navigation data authenticity. Until now, any signal, even a fake one, could be accepted as real. Spoofing attacks, where false signals impersonate genuine satellites, have caused incidents in maritime and aviation transport.

With OSNMA, users can now verify that a navigation message genuinely comes from Galileo satellites and hasn’t been altered in transit. Technically simple, this step is groundbreaking: secure positioning becomes possible without expensive external cryptography solutions.

The publication of the Service Definition Document (SDD) on 24 July 2025 confirmed OSNMA is operational. Beyond technological readiness, it sends a clear political signal: Europe wants to move from simply providing GNSS signals to leading in their security.

Webinar showcase: tech or marketing?

On 1 September 2025, the European Commission and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) will host an online event titled “Introducing Galileo’s New Authentication Service, OSNMA.” Presentations will feature key officials and experts, SDD overviews, receiver implementation guides, and GNSS equipment manufacturer insights.

The webinar also serves a promotional purpose – convincing industry that OSNMA is the future worth investing in. Yet, is the technology ready for widespread deployment? Receivers must be updated, software adapted, and the entire GNSS ecosystem must adopt the new standard. Whether this process will run smoothly remains uncertain.

GNSS resilience: theory vs practice

OSNMA is designed to strengthen navigation systems against tampering and interference. It uses digitally signed navigation messages, making them impossible to forge without cryptographic keys – theoretically a strong barrier.

But does OSNMA solve all problems? Jamming, the deliberate blocking of signals, remains a threat. The authentication only works within Galileo’s open service. What about devices using other GNSS systems, like U.S. GPS or China’s BeiDou? Without global adoption of similar measures, protection against spoofing will remain patchy.

Additional cryptographic layers could also introduce new challenges – delays, higher energy demand, and infrastructure update costs. While invisible to casual users like drivers or drone operators, reaction speed and reliability are crucial in critical industries.

Private sector on the frontline

Implementing OSNMA isn’t just about European institutions. Receiver manufacturers and app developers must adopt the new standard. EUSPA supports them through its Fundamental Elements program, funding development of Galileo-compatible devices.

Yet the question remains: is the market ready? Companies may hesitate to invest in a feature not yet legally required. Without regulatory mandates, OSNMA risks remaining a niche tool used only by sectors aware of its security benefits.

Between breakthrough and half measures

OSNMA is a major step toward secure satellite navigation, but it also exposes the limits of a tech-first approach. Europe has a tool to greatly reduce spoofing, but can it create the legal and market environment to ensure widespread adoption?

The 1 September webinar will demonstrate OSNMA as a potential global standard. Yet the key question remains: is OSNMA a foundation for future security, or just a technological gadget whose potential will go largely untapped without proper support?

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Michalina Szpyrka

0 Nasledovník · 13 Nasledovníci

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