Increasing Robustness of GNSS-based Critical Infrastructures Timing: Results and Product Evolution

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) provide highly accurate and stable timing references that underpin numerous public, commercial and safety critical services. However, growing geopolitical tensions and the surge in cyberattacks targeting timing-dependent infrastructures are threatening service continuity, safety and economy. In this context, the forthcoming Galileo Second Generation (G2G) “Timing Service Message” (TSM) combined with the Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OS NMA), will enable a new generation of European standardized timing receivers compliant with the new CEN/CENELEC EN 16605:2024. Starting from the former GIANO development, the product evolution, CLEPSYDRA, is currently being developed, integrating advanced GNSS technologies together with highly stable time and frequency reference sources in a compact, accurate and resilient device. The platform will also embed advanced time solution integrity monitoring (T-RAIM) and an AI-based GNSS spoofing detection, based on the patented Advanced Spoofing Protection Intelligent System (ASPIS), tailored to CLEPSYDRA’s hardware and software architecture. In particular, the ASPIS module employs a multi tier neural network trained on real world samples, including data from recent European JammerTest campaigns, which provides adaptive protection against evolving spoofing technique. In this paper, representative results for the technologies included in the CLEPSYDRA product will be presented, as derived from GIANO building blocks, as well as from on-going evolution and preliminary results of the ASPIS anti-spoofing system, customized for the timing application.