BlueSky™ GNSS Firewall

bluesky gnss firewall

Protects GPS Systems against spoofing and jamming threats

The vulnerability of GPS systems to various signal incidents is well documented. The rapid proliferation of GPS systems has embedded these vulnerabilities into critical national infrastructure as well as corporate infrastructures that rely on GPS-delivered position, navigation and timing (PNT) for daily operations. The widespread deployment of GPS makes it impractical to replace all fielded GPS systems in a timely or cost-effective manner.

Microchip provides a portfolio of technologies, products, and services that enables operators of Critical Infrastructure to construct a secure and robust PNT network that is resilient to GPS errors as well as errors coming from other sky-based delivery channels such as Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, or another.  Details of this complete portfolio can be found here.

The new BlueSky™ GNSS Firewall protects already deployed GPS systems by providing a cost-effective overlay solution installed between existing GNSS antennas and GPS systems. Similar to a network firewall, the BlueSky™ GNSS Firewall protects systems inside the firewall from untrusted sky-based signals outside the firewall.

Identifies and Protects GPS Systems from Spoofing and Jamming

Contained within the BlueSky™ GNSS Firewall is a software engine that analyzes the GPS signal. GPS signal data is received and evaluated from each satellite to ensure compliance along with analyzing received signal characteristics.

Integrates seamlessly between existing GPS Antenna and GPS system

Microchip’s BlueSky™ GNSS Firewall is deployed in-line between an existing GPS antenna and GPS receiver system and can be placed near the GPS receiver system or near the point at which the GPS antenna cable enters the building.  Thus, nearly all currently deployed GPS antennas are supported without modifying the existing installation.

Optional Rubidium MAC (Miniature Atomic Clock) for enhanced threat detection and holdover

Upgrading the BlueSky™ GNSS Firewall with the MAC enhances anomalous GPS detection capabilities while also extending holdover performance of the hardened GPS signal output for multiple days.

1PPS and 10 MHz timing reference inputs for extended holdover

10 MHz or 1 PPS inputs allows for connection of autonomous references sources such as Microchip’s 5071A or TimeCesium products to extend the holdover performance in case of a complete loss of GPS reception for long periods of time.

Upgradeable Software in addition to secure and easy-to-use web interface

At the core of the BlueSky™ GNSS Firewall is a programmable anomaly detector that validates the GPS subframes for spoofing incidents based on defined data validation rules. A wide range of rules have already been built into the BlueSky™ GPS Firewall to detect suspicious time and position inconsistencies. As with traditional security firewalls, new validation rules are dynamically loaded into the BlueSky™ GPS Firewall as new threats are identified.

Wide scale management using TimePictra platform

Management of wide scale deployment of 10’s, 100’s or 1000’s of BlueSky™ GNSS Firewall units is simplified using Microchip’s TimePictra management system. TimePictra enables a regional, national, or a global view of your PNT infrastructure to provide early alerting of threats before your PNT network is violated.

BlueSky™ Performance Monitoring

Integrated within TimePictra, BlueSky™ Performance Monitoring enables visibility of GPS reception parameters across a wide-scale deployment of BlueSky™ GNSS Firewalls.  GPS signal measurements such as GPS phase deviation, GPS satellites in view, and GPS signal strength can be plotted for selected time periods.  This aids critical infrastructure operations to more quickly identify and isolate GPS incidents.

Key Features

  • Identifies and protects GPS systems from spoofing and jamming
  • Integrates seamlessly between existing GPS antenna and GPS system
  • Compatible with any GPS antenna that receives the L1 frequency
  • Optional Rubidium Miniature Atomic Clock (MAC) can be installed inside unit
  • 1 PPS and 10 MHz timing reference inputs for extended holdover (for example, connection of external cesium reference)
  • Redundant AC or DC power options with power monitoring and load sharing
  • Local and remote Command Line Interface (CLI) in addition to secure and easy-to-use web interface
  • BlueSky GNSS Firewall embedded software is field upgradeable with new GPS validation rules
  • Seamless integration with TimePictra provides end-to-end management of 10’s, 100’s or 1000’s of units from a single server
  • BlueSky Performance Monitoring integrated into TimePictra provides GPS reception measurement and visibility

Applications

  • Wireless and Wireline Networks
  • Utility and power grids
  • Financial Services
  • Data Centers
  • Transportation networks
  • Emergency services

Brochure

  • BlueSky™ GNSS Firewall – Brochure
    This Brochure provides a comprehensive overview of the BlueSky™ GNSS Firewall and the complete GNSS Threat Protection Stack including Atomic Clock Resiliency and TimePictra with BlueSky™ Performance Monitoring.

Datasheet

White Paper

GPS Spoofing and Jamming Vulnerabilities in the real world:

Similar to the Network Firewall, the BlueSky GNSS Firewall protects the systems inside the firewall from untrusted sky-based signals outside the firewall. The video demonstrates how the BlueSky GNSS Firewall protects the critical infrastructure from 2 most common threats:

  • GPS Jamming – complete loss of GPS Signal
  • GPS Spoofing – deceiving a GPS receiver by sending an incorrect GPS signal

Microchip released the BlueSky GNSS Firewall at ION GNSS+ 2018. In this video, Greg Wolff, Product Line Director – Microchip, talks about the all new ground-breaking technology – BlueSky GNSS Firewall which protects the systems within the firewall from the untrusted sky-based signals outside the Firewall.

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