Cyber threat in drone systems: bridging real-time security, legal admissibility, and digital forensic solution readiness

Résumé

The rapid expansion of drones otherwise known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), in critical sectors has increased their exposure to cyber threats such as GPS spoofing, command hijacking, and firmware tampering. Existing forensic tools often fail to address UAV-specific challenges like volatile memory and limited storage, hindering effective investigations. Hence, to address this gap, this study proposes the Enhanced UAV Forensic Framework (EUAVFF) a modular, forensic-by-design model integrating blockchain audit trails, secure logging, telemetry offloading, and UAV-friendly encryption. Validated through a literature review and a stakeholder survey (n = 100), results showed that over 70% of respondents lacked awareness of UAV cyber risks, and current drones were rated poorly in key forensic areas, including tamper-proof logging and legal evidence handling. Only 28% were familiar with drone-specific threats, reflecting critical gaps in preparedness.These findings emphasize the urgent need for proactive forensic integration. EUAVFF offers a structured path to secure, accountable, and resilient UAV operations in increasingly hostile cyber environments.

Citer ce document

Accès au document

Texte intégral en lecture en ligne, réservé aux abonnés SPHAERO et aux membres de l'institution. Se connecter

Auteur(s)

Statistiques

Consultations : 2

Téléchargements : 0