GPS interference is any disruption of satellite navigation signals that reduces the accuracy or availability of positioning, timing, or navigation data. It can happen through jamming, which overwhelms the signal, or spoofing, which feeds a receiver false satellite data. In space, aviation, and critical infrastructure, even brief interference can cause navigation errors, timing drift, or loss of operational reliability.
In cyber security, GPS interference matters because it targets a dependency many systems assume is trustworthy. Defenders use signal monitoring, multi-source timing, inertial backups, antenna and receiver hardening, and anomaly detection to keep missions operating when GPS is degraded. Attackers may use interference to mask other activity, disrupt command-and-control timing, or force a system into a fallback mode. For mission systems, resilience against GPS interference is a core availability control, not just a navigation feature.