Satellite Snooping Reveals Sensitive Unencrypted Data
In an era where running a website without HTTPS is widely frowned upon, and there is a growing demand to encrypt DNS queries, one would expect telecommunications back-ends to be tightly secured as well. This is especially true for the wireless connections between ground stations and geosynchronous communication satellites. However, recent research by US-based scientists reveals that the reality is quite the opposite.
A detailed paper by Wenyi Morty Zhang et al. (PDF) explores how these researchers uncovered unencrypted IP traffic flowing through satellite links and what they discovered in their data captures. Using an off-the-shelf consumer satellite dish mounted on the roof of a university building in San Diego, they scanned IP traffic on 39 geosynchronous satellites.
To their surprise, they found unencrypted data belonging to major companies such as T-Mobile, used for cellular backhaul. They also intercepted internet traffic aimed at airliners, as well as VoIP communications—all transmitted in the clear.
More concerning still, the researchers observed what appeared to be military traffic and corporate VPN data containing unencrypted login credentials, corporate emails, and much more sensitive information.
Following these revelations, T-Mobile promptly enabled encryption on their satellite links. However, it remains uncertain whether other organizations using similar infrastructure will follow suit.
Given these findings, it is probably best to assume that any communication sent via satellite networks could potentially be intercepted. For sensitive information, using end-to-end encryption technologies—such as PGP-encrypted emails—is highly recommended.
https://hackaday.com/2025/10/27/satellite-snooping-reveals-sensitive-unencrypted-data/
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