Leuven, Belgium - Belgian researchers have found a way to protect the navigation system Galileo from hacks, which is reported by the Belgian Newspaper De Tijd.

In 2013, researchers from Texas found a way to steer a 209ft yacht away from it's route without the crew noticing. They used a device that transmitted signals that were stronger than the signals from GPS sattelites. 

The researchers from Belgium now found a way to protect Galileo from these kind of signals. The protection comes at the right time, because in 2020 there should be 24 sattelites that will go round the earth to determine our positions. Because Galileo is slightly outdated compared to other systems it is important for the system that it can distinguish itself from others. The researchers built in authentification so that signals can not be falsely transmitted. 

It was very difficult for the researchers to protect the system in the development stage it was in. Eventually, the developers decided that protection of the system was important and therefore quickly asked the researchers to find a way. The researchers made it happen and now the Galileo system will set a new standard for the security of these systems.