nanog mailing list archives

Re: NTP Sync Issue Across Tata (Europe)


From: "Jay R. Ashworth" <jra () baylink com>
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2023 00:03:30 +0000 (UTC)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Forrest Christian (List Account)" <lists () packetflux com>

Let me address your points:
[ ... ] 
Let's assume you have a typical GPS-derived NTP server using a typical
commercially available timing GNSS module.  To convince that receiver that
it was a different time, I'd need to have an SDR that would operate in the
GPS band.  These are widely available for under $500.  You'd also need a
laptop and a download of a GPS simulator from GitLab.   With a total
investment of $500 (assuming I already have a laptop), I now have a system
that can generate a GPS signal to convince your GPS receiver that it's any
time at all.  If you're a tech neophyte, there are youtube videos on how to
do this.

All I need to do now is add appropriate antennas and/or amplifiers to
overcome the official GNSS signals.   As you pointed out, depending on the
location and directivity of your antenna, this is either trivial or becomes
slightly more difficult.   If I can see your antenna, it becomes a lot
cheaper as I just need a relatively low-powered amplifier and a highly
directional antenna.   If I can't see your antenna, I would opt for a
higher-power amplifier and a less directional transmit antenna to blanket a
wide area with the spoofed signal.

If I'm trying to get time out of a NAVSTAR (yes, I know, shut up) receiver,
it can see like 8-20 birds, right?  Is there not some voting and such inside
such a receiver?  Just letting it see one 'bird' with spoofed time doesn't 
seem like it ought to work, to me; what don't I know?

Cheers,
-- jra
-- 
Jay R. Ashworth                  Baylink                       jra () baylink com
Designer                     The Things I Think                       RFC 2100
Ashworth & Associates       http://www.bcp38.info          2000 Land Rover DII
St Petersburg FL USA      BCP38: Ask For It By Name!           +1 727 647 1274


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