Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) is the software and control stack that keeps a flying system oriented, on course, and stable. Navigation estimates where the vehicle is and how it is moving, guidance decides what course it should follow, and control turns those decisions into actuator commands for fins, thrust, or other steering hardware. In missiles, rockets, drones, and aircraft, GNC is tightly coupled to sensors, simulations, and real-time feedback loops.
In cyber security, GNC matters because small code changes can have physical effects. Attackers may target GNC software to alter trajectories, degrade stability, or disable safety checks, while defenders watch for tampering in build pipelines, unauthorized parameter edits, and suspicious test or calibration activity. Because GNC is often iterative and data-driven, integrity controls such as signed builds, audit logs, access restriction, and human review are important. In dual-use environments, the same tools used to debug legitimate flight software can also accelerate weapons development if misused.