Testing GNSS data authentication through OSNMA

Europe’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Galileo, is used by many critical applications ranging from transport and public safety to energy and finance. Its unique new Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) service, which offers a defense against spoofing attacks, is now preparing for operational launch after completing a successful test phase. Attacks on GNSS have been on the rise in recent years as knowledge of vulnerabilities, along with the means to exploit them, have become more widespread. To enhance GNSS security, the Swiss Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo) is exploring creating a web-based OSNMA verification service for users without direct OSNMA support, ensuring broader access to authenticated positioning.

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Objectives

The overarching project goal is to develop a web service that enables swisstopo’s clients to authenticate their GNSS data via Galileo OSNMA without needing specialized OSNMA-compatible hardware. The student will help swisstopo take a first step in this direction by:

  • Analyzing potential solutions
  • Implementing software to authenticate OSNMA data
  • Developing a prototype testing environment

 

Required skills

For the good realization of this project, it is recommended that the student have:

 

  • Familiarity with GNSS technologies, Galileo OSNMA, and RINEX data formats (beneficial but not mandatory)
  • Experience in software development (e.g. Python)
  • Ability to appraise and adapt the project to fulfill the needs of swisstopo and the Space Domain
  • A sense of responsibility to provide the work quality needed for everyday applications

Place of work

The student will have the opportunity to work in a stimulating environment with other students at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

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Deliverables

The student is expected to deliver the following elements at the end of the project:

  • Summary of potential solutions and recommendations for how to achieve the project goal
  • Prototype testing environment capable of authenticating RINEX files through OSNMA
  • Source code of the project, modular and suitable for future development
  • Complete documentation covering system architecture, setup, and usage