The team scanned the IP traffic on 39 GEO satellites across 25 distinct longitudes with 411 transponders using consumer-grade equipment.
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The team scanned the IP traffic on 39 GEO satellites across 25 distinct longitudes with 411 transponders using consumer-grade equipment. About half of the signals they captured contained clear text IP traffic.
This means there was no encryption at either the link layer or the network layer. This allowed the team to observe internal communications from organizations that rely on these satellites to connect remote critical infrastructure and field operations.
Among the intercepted data were private voice calls, text messages, and call metadata sent through cellular backhaul—the data that travels between cell towers and the central network.
Commercial and retail organizations transmitted inventory records, internal communications, and business data over these satellite links. Banks leaked ATM-related transactions and network management commands. Entertainment and aviation communications were also intercepted, including in-flight entertainment audio and aircraft data.
The researchers also captured industrial control signals for utility infrastructure, including job scheduling and grid monitoring commands. Military (from the US and Mexico) communications were exposed, revealing asset tracking information and operational details such as surveillance data for vessel movements.
The research reveals a pervasive lack of standardized encryption protocols, leaving much of this traffic vulnerable to interception by any technically capable individual with suitable equipment. They concluded that despite the sensitive nature of the data, satellite communication security is often neglected, creating substantial opportunities for eavesdropping, espionage, and potential misuse.
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