British software enhances security for Ukrainian drones

A British company called Periphery is helping Ukraine protect its drones from cyber attacks. These attacks can make drones malfunction or crash, posing a serious threat in active conflict. Periphery specializes in software aimed at military devices connected to the internet. Their software is designed to safeguard drones by continuously updating to defend against new types of malware. For example, their program called “Firmware 1001” helps DJI quadcopters operate effectively in war zones and has gone through over 40 updates in two years. The software monitors drone activity, looking for unusual behavior that could indicate malware. If malware infects a drone, it could cause that drone to crash or malfunction in ways that appear normal. This kind of subtle sabotage has historical precedents, as shown during WWII. Beyond harming individual drones, malware can potentially spread to other systems. An example is the SolarWinds hack, which affected numerous companies and government organizations without detection for over a year. Periphery’s technology aims to catch such threats early, with plans for a feature called 'Respond' that will enhance drones' ability to react to threats in real-time. Malware can find its way into drones during manufacturing or updates. For example, enemy forces might analyze captured drones for weaknesses. The Pentagon has even banned Chinese-made DJI drones due to concerns over potential data leaks. Regular firmware updates can also be risky. An incident in Ukraine involved a hacker group disrupting Russian drone updates, highlighting how new software can introduce vulnerabilities. As drone usage grows on the battlefield, Periphery is focusing on this area, though they acknowledge the broader threat to numerous Internet of Things devices. With an expected increase in IoT devices, the risk of cyber attacks is growing. Protecting these devices is crucial, especially for military operations, to prevent a dangerous vulnerability in their defense systems. Periphery's role in Ukraine could be vital as they seek to defend against these emerging cyber threats.