Conferences RSA Conference USA 2019, which was launched 4 March San Fantsisko, security experts have once again reminded of the well-known problem of the regular discharge of the counter weeks of the equipment for servicing navigation system NAVSTAR (GPS). This has already happened around 20 years ago, on the night of 21 on 22 August 1999. New reset will occur on the night of 6 by 7 April 2019 of the year.
It would seem that, if a 19,7 years ago, nothing terrible has happened - planes do not fall, nuclear power plants did not explode, trains are not faced, is nothing to fear. However, over the past 20 s GPS navigation is so deeply and widely penetrated into all spheres of life and human activity, the risk of the fatal consequences of failure repeatedly increased. Anyway, experts at the RSA honestly stated, they personally 6 April will avoid use of aircraft.
The problem of possible failure in the GPS navigation system is connected with the 10-bit performance counter weeks. on expiry 1024 weeks counter is reset to zero. Theoretically, GPS receivers around the world have to work this transition without crashing. your smartphone, probably, so themselves and lead. But there are plenty of GPS-receiver, in which an old firmware, or for which no one at all did not create the updated firmware. Such receivers can "go crazy" on the change of dates and will not be able to determine the current position. Imagine, forgot that this receiver is responsible for the navigation of an old transport plane? The consequences can be dire.
Specialists are aware of the problem and update the receiver firmware. Official authorities issued a warning a year ago. Modern GPS systems are moving to 13-bit representation of the counter weeks, that pushes the problem to reset 157 years into the future. As for now,, the greatest risk of real time navigation. For them, the transition can be a critical test. Anyway, do not be lazy, and 8 April check your navigational instruments for efficiency.
