British Software Will Protect Ukrainian Drones From Cyber Attack

In a bid to safeguard Ukraine's military drones from cyber threats, British company Periphery is providing cutting-edge software to protect against malicious attacks. The technology, which uses proprietary machine learning models, detects and adapts to emerging threats, ensuring the drones remain operational and secure.

During a recent training exercise, a military drone was successfully protected by Periphery's software, demonstrating its effectiveness in real-world scenarios. Cyber attacks on drones have become increasingly common in Ukraine, with hackers targeting these devices to disrupt military operations or gain access to sensitive information.

"We provide an easy-to-install, military-grade, lightweight software agent that can be embedded before or after production," explains Toby Wilmington, co-founder and CEO of Periphery. "Our technology uses machine learning models to detect suspicious or confirmed malicious activity happening within a device." The software is designed to monitor, understand, and adapt to new threats, communicating with central servers.

The technology compares the activity in the drone with known 'normal behavior' and looks for anomalies, which may indicate the presence of malware. However, not all malware will be detected immediately. "Malware can take a drone down," confirms Wilmington, but more subtle forms of sabotage may cause the drone to malfunction without being recognized.

"In some cases, the risk is to the drone itself, but it may also be a way of delivering something malicious to a network that it may be later plugged into," warns Wilmington. This creates the possibility of infection across multiple systems, with potentially devastating consequences. The SolarWinds hack in 2019-20 serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved.

How Does Malware Get Into Drones?

Malware can be introduced into drones through various means, including:

• When a new drone is manufactured, malware may be embedded in its design or firmware.
• Malware can be injected during regular firmware updates, which are often downloaded from central servers.
• Sabotage by targeting component suppliers or hacking into their systems to insert malware.

"Every time a new drone is downed or captured, the captors take it apart to analyze its capabilities," explains Wilmington. This includes examining components, which can reveal vulnerabilities in the system and provide opportunities for sabotage.

Periphery's Technology: A Game-Changer?

The Pentagon has banned the use of Chinese-made DJI drones by any US forces due to concerns over data transmission and potential espionage. However, Periphery's technology is designed to address these issues and provide a critical layer of defense against cyber threats.

"By 2030 there will be an estimated 30 billion IoT devices," warns Wilmington, highlighting the growing threat landscape for military-grade drones. As the number of IoT devices increases, so too does the risk of infection across multiple systems. Periphery's technology is poised to play a vital role in safeguarding these critical assets.

Periphery may have arrived in Ukraine just in time, providing a much-needed solution to the country's drone security woes. With its cutting-edge software and proprietary machine learning models, this British company is well-positioned to help protect Ukraine's military drones from cyber threats.