Why is GPS anti jamming feature is essential for banking and critical infrastructure?

GPS, anti-jamming feature is essential for maintaining the integrity of banking, stock trading and critical infrastructure because precise time stamping is required for every transaction. GPS jamming can severely disrupt time synchronization systems such as NTP and PTP Servers, leading to data corruption, operational failure, and security vulnerabilities.

Why Anti-Jamming GPS is Essential:

1. Timing for Financial Transactions (Banking):
• Banking and stock trading servers use GPS-based time stamps to:
• Synchronize stock trades, initiate interbank transfers, and securely operate payment gateways.
• Comply with regulations, which mandate sub-millisecond timestamp accuracy.
• A GPS jamming attack can desynchronize clocks, causing:
• Transaction mismatches, settlement failures leading to regulatory violations.
• Result in vulnerabilities that lead to fraud or manipulation in high-frequency trading systems.


2. Synchronization in Critical Infrastructure:
• Power grids, telecommunications, and data centers rely on GPS-disciplined clocks for:
• Grid stability (e.g., PMUs in smart grids).
• Call/data handoffs in telecom networks.
• Log correlation in IT infrastructure.
• GPS jamming can lead to:
• Grid instability, protection mis-operation, or blackouts.
• Dropped communications, data routing issues, and network outages.


3. Resilience Against Intentional Disruption:
• Jamming is a low-cost, high-impact threat that is available through off-the-shelf devices.
• Without anti-jamming, GPS receivers in banks and infrastructure are soft targets for:
• Criminal manipulation of time-sensitive data.
• State-sponsored cyber-physical attacks.
• Accidental interference from nearby RF transmission equipment.


4. National Security and Compliance:
• Many countries (e.g., U.S. under PNT Executive Order) mandate synchronization of all critical assets to resilient timing sources.


5. Why GPS + NavIC (L1+L5) band time-synchronization sources are superior to only GPS (L1) band time-synchronization sources:
• Satellite based synchronization and navigation relies on receiving signals from satellites through GNSS/GPS signals broadcast in the L-band, typically within the 1-2 GHz frequency range. The L-band comprises two main sections: the lower band (from 1164 MHz to 1300 MHz) and the upper band (from 1559 MHz to 1610 MHz). Most satellite constellations transmit their data using these two band sections.
• Presently, L1 band offers global coverage. The GPS, Galileo, and BeiDou satellite systems use it for transmission. Depending on the satellite generation and constellation, satellites can transmit on the L1 band alone, or on a combination of L1, L2, and L5 bands.
• Several countries, including India, aiming for independence from foreign owned positioning and synchronization systems have developed satellite technologies to meet independent connectivity and communication demands. India, along with a few other countries have started using the L5 NavIC band in conjunction with the L1 GPS band, which together offer significant operational advantages as opposed to the L1 (GPS only) positioning and synchronization systems.
• Using L1 (GPS) and L5 (NavIC) satellite bands and constellations simultaneously improves the quality of the output of the GNSS receiver. The following are some of its benefits.
• Higher signal availability. L5 signals transmit at a lower frequency, which implies a better range and, as a result, they provide improved penetration. For dual-band receivers using both L1/L5 bands, this capability translates into higher signal availability in areas with obstructions, such as dusty or cloudy atmosphere, buildings or trees, which either attenuate or reflect the signals.
• Higher position accuracy. As mentioned earlier, atmospheric conditions affect signals traveling through the atmosphere, causing signal delays. However, the L1/L5, dual-band receivers can compute the position, and hence time-synchronization, more accurately when accessing more information. Receivers with L1/L5, frequency bands, utilizing advanced algorithms to compute this information, can correct errors caused due to atmospheric delays.
• In addition to the general improvements in position and synchronization accuracy the L1/L5, frequency bands provide vastly improved signal security. In this case, the L5 (NavIC) holds an advantage over L1 (GPS) when it comes to overcoming attenuation caused by a dust storm, dense cloud cover, foliage in the forest or in dense urban environments. The L5 (NavIC) band can be instrumental in maintaining functionality even under weak signal conditions. This helps ensure continued positioning availability and synchronization accuracy even under challenging environments, surpassing a GPS (L1) band only receiver.
• Signal security improvement. The L1/L5, dual-band receivers system’s resilience and availability are greatly enhanced by mitigating interference effects such as jamming or spoofing attacks occurring in either bands. The L1/L5, dual-band receivers can switch to the other frequency band in case one is compromised by such jamming or spoofing attacks.

VCL Products with anti-jamming and anti-spoofing features:

In Summary:

Anti-jamming GPS is essential for all banking, financial and critical infrastructure to maintain precise timing and reliable, resilient operations that can operate securely against the possibilities of both accidental interference and deliberate attacks. Its absence can compromise data integrity, operational stability and national security.

About Valiant Communications: Valiant Communications is a manufacturer and exporter of a wide range of communications, transmission, protection, synchronization, NAS data storage equipment and cyber security products. It is an approved manufacturer to some of the major power utilities including Power Grid Corporation (India) and various National and State Electricity Boards, with track record of successful installations in more than 5,500+ power sub-stations worldwide including at 765kV, 440kV, 400kV, 384kV, 220kV, 132kV, 110kV, 66kV and 33kV power sub-stations.