Black Hat 2020: Hackers Can Intercept Satellite Internet Traffic

Vulnerabilities in satellite broadband systems allow cybercriminals to intercept unencrypted traffic. To carry out a successful attack, hackers need only standard home television equipment, which costs about $300.

Security experts from the University of Oxford reported this issue at the Black Hat 2020 conference. If the method described by the researchers is used in a real-world attack, it would be possible to spy on confidential communications over vast distances.

Moreover, a potential cybercriminal faces virtually no risk—detecting such an attack is nearly impossible.

The University of Oxford team demonstrated a way to eavesdrop on traffic traveling halfway around the globe. As a result, organizations that transmit information via satellite channels should be especially wary of espionage.

All usernames and passwords could end up in the hands of attackers. Hackers can also intercept confidential data belonging to specific individuals or companies.

The main problem, of course, is the frequent lack of encryption. It is well known that data is transmitted fastest over long distances when unencrypted. However, this speed comes at the cost of vulnerability.