AASHVAST: 6 high tech Army labs to to weed out foreign bugs from drones, CCTV cameras

The Indian Army is set to establish six AASHVAST labs nationwide, tasked with identifying and eliminating firmware-level vulnerabilities in all future drones and, eventually, CCTV cameras. This initiative, designed to enhance cyber resilience and operational readiness, marks the first of its kind in the nation. The first lab, inaugurated in Delhi, will undergo a rigorous testing process to detect vulnerabilities that could compromise drone performance in contested zones.

Developed by QuickPay Pvt Ltd for the Directorate General of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, AASHVAST is a Firmware Analysis and Validation Suite. This software goes beyond physical inspections, scrutinizing the software that governs unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to uncover hidden threats. AASHVAST is capable of detecting 14 types of vulnerabilities, such as geospatial issues, hidden codes, time and location bugs, and foreign-origin components.

The Indian Army has issued a Request for Proposal to procure customized licensed software for the validation of firmware and embedded systems in electronic components. The lab's primary focus will be on drones procured by the Army, but in the future, it will also inspect CCTV cameras for potential Chinese proprietary protocols or equivalents.

The establishment of these labs aims to neutralize the risks associated with enemy interference in Indian drones, ensuring they can effectively perform their designated tasks. With approximately 14 types of vulnerabilities to check, AASHVAST will play a crucial role in safeguarding national security interests, particularly in light of concerns over the use of Chinese components in military drones.