4 ms·

No, you can identify it on adsb-exchange. Sounds like you've been using flightaware/rb24/flightradar24 - they block aircrafts. https://tar1090.adsbexchange.com/

No, you can identify it on adsb-exchange. Sounds like you've been using flightaware/rb24/flightradar24 - they block aircrafts. https://tar1090.adsbexchange.com/ https://tar1090.adsbexchange.com/

sokoloff 6y ago
You can buy a Dotcom call sign subscription and fly your flights (including ADS-B ID) under a randomly assigned Dotcom callsign. So, instead of being trackable N123AB, I could fly as DCM965. You could still potentially trace approximately where the aircraft flew (because there aren’t quite enough DCM flights for real anonymity), but it’s more work. https://flttrack.fltplan.com/FltPlanInfo/DCMCallSigns.htm https://flttrack.fltplan.com/FltPlanInfo/DCMCallSigns.htm
- llacb47 6y ago
  The plane still transmits the hex address over ads-b. https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/article/privacy-lost-in-the-age-of-ads-b/ https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/article/privacy-lost-in-the...
  - jjwiseman 6y ago
    But in the case of the PIA program, the hex address that's broadcast in the ADS-B packet is unpublished, not associated with the tail number of the plane anywhere except in the FAA's internal database. It can be a very effective way of obscuring aircraft identity (though see the DEFCON youtube link I posted for potential vulnerabilities).
  - sokoloff 6y ago
    Yes, but the hex address transmitted is that of DCM965, not N123AB. On the next leg out, they could be assigned to fly as DCM398, etc. I can enter a new aircraft ID into the box for each flight. That data is then transmitted in bits 9-32 of the ADS-B downlink message (where the N-number is typically transmitted for private aircraft).
    - llacb47 6y ago
      Still wrong, here's a DCM flight live right now, it is transmitting its real hex which is tied to its registration. https://tar1090.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ad9e03 https://tar1090.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ad9e03 Yes, you can change the hex code your aircraft is broadcasting, but the FAA probably won't like that - they will want you to join the PIA program. https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/privacy/ https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/privacy/
      - sokoloff 6y ago
        All of which is clearly explained in under a page in Dotcom ID program I linked to. If you sign up for that program (which provides a third-party callsign assignment) and sign up for PIA and change the flight ID in your transponder, then you don't get tracking by N-number. If you don't do all three of those things and keep transmitting your N-number via ADS-B, then you are trackable by N-number. That DCM2790 is using the same flight number for multiple legs and transmitting their N-number is evidence that they aren't maximizing privacy, not that privacy isn't possible.
- jjwiseman 6y ago
  There was an interesting talk at DEFCON this year about the FAA's Privacy ICAO Address (PIA) system, and potential attacks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-8z0z1swmE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-8z0z1swmE

No, you can identify it on adsb-exchange. Sounds like you've been using flightaware/rb24/flightradar24 - they block aircrafts. https://tar1090.adsbexchange.com/ https://tar1090.adsbexchange.com/

sokoloff 6y ago

You can buy a Dotcom call sign subscription and fly your flights (including ADS-B ID) under a randomly assigned Dotcom callsign. So, instead of being trackable N123AB, I could fly as DCM965. You could still potentially trace approximately where the aircraft flew (because there aren’t quite enough DCM flights for real anonymity), but it’s more work. https://flttrack.fltplan.com/FltPlanInfo/DCMCallSigns.htm https://flttrack.fltplan.com/FltPlanInfo/DCMCallSigns.htm

llacb47 6y ago
The plane still transmits the hex address over ads-b. https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/article/privacy-lost-in-the-age-of-ads-b/ https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/article/privacy-lost-in-the...
- jjwiseman 6y ago
  But in the case of the PIA program, the hex address that's broadcast in the ADS-B packet is unpublished, not associated with the tail number of the plane anywhere except in the FAA's internal database. It can be a very effective way of obscuring aircraft identity (though see the DEFCON youtube link I posted for potential vulnerabilities).
- sokoloff 6y ago
  Yes, but the hex address transmitted is that of DCM965, not N123AB. On the next leg out, they could be assigned to fly as DCM398, etc. I can enter a new aircraft ID into the box for each flight. That data is then transmitted in bits 9-32 of the ADS-B downlink message (where the N-number is typically transmitted for private aircraft).
  - llacb47 6y ago
    Still wrong, here's a DCM flight live right now, it is transmitting its real hex which is tied to its registration. https://tar1090.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ad9e03 https://tar1090.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ad9e03 Yes, you can change the hex code your aircraft is broadcasting, but the FAA probably won't like that - they will want you to join the PIA program. https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/privacy/ https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/privacy/
    - sokoloff 6y ago
      All of which is clearly explained in under a page in Dotcom ID program I linked to. If you sign up for that program (which provides a third-party callsign assignment) and sign up for PIA and change the flight ID in your transponder, then you don't get tracking by N-number. If you don't do all three of those things and keep transmitting your N-number via ADS-B, then you are trackable by N-number. That DCM2790 is using the same flight number for multiple legs and transmitting their N-number is evidence that they aren't maximizing privacy, not that privacy isn't possible.
jjwiseman 6y ago
There was an interesting talk at DEFCON this year about the FAA's Privacy ICAO Address (PIA) system, and potential attacks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-8z0z1swmE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-8z0z1swmE