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Yeah, listening in wouldn't work because you can always stack more encryption on top of the one the carrier might listen in to. But Starlink can't operate witho
by usrusr 3y ago
Yeah, listening in wouldn't work because you can always stack more encryption on top of the one the carrier might listen in to. But Starlink can't operate without exact knowledge of antenna locations for aiming the phased arrays (some sibling said that it can operate without GPS, but I read that as it's able to locate the antenna on its own after a crude signal handshake is done).
But in a world where Musk/Starlink/someone inside Starlink/someone with sufficient leverage over Starlink was trying to hinder the Russian invasion, they would allow Starlink terminals to be sourced through plausibly shady channels and then operate in Russian hands for quite a while, before striking locations and only then shutting down.
Or even go all Ultra on them and start an elaborate programme to create alternative explamations for the data use.
One reason I don't consider this likely: imagine how hard Musk would enjoy going through his very own version of the Cryptinomicon Ultra plot line. The idea that he might be able to keep that a secret just doesn't fit in my skull.
- 2OEH8eoCRo0 3y agoThey're emitters though. I assume the US and Ukraine are already able to locate every emitter within minutes of them powering up.
- yencabulator 3y agoThey're highly directional though, so this is much harder than with old school radios. You might need to fly overhead to catch the emissions.
- 2OEH8eoCRo0 3y agoRight but they aren't perfect and have sidelobes like anything else.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- sneak 3y agoI presume Musk necessarily has a clearance already and keeps many things secret on pain of imprisonment. Did you forget SpaceX does NRO launches all of the time? Furthermore, you aren’t allowed to have access to orbit from the USA without playing by the MIC/IC’s rules, clearance or no clearance.
- usrusr 3y agoNot divulging boring details of stuff you have clearance to and keeping quiet about the biggest adventure of your life, while being a person so talkative that you once spent 44 billion on your favorite blogging tool? Those are very different challenges. OTOH, "cryptonomicon ultra plot line" could be the ultimate Musk lure, so the gates are open to even the wildest speculation.
- _heimdall 3y agoIs it fair to assume Musk and any state actors he could be working with don't have any way to decrypt Russian encryption techniques? My only point is they its interesting how quick many are to jump on this a narrative that Elon is evil, he works for or with the Russians, etc when there is actually a scenario that fits in which he is closer to playing a role akin to Allan Turing during WWII.
- tjpnz 3y agoYou're doing Turing a great disservice comparing him to Musk.
- _heimdall 3y agoI was comparing a potential scenario in which Muak found himself in much the same situation as Turing, I'm not comparing the men or their character at all. I'm definitely not trying to compare what both men were/are put through. A sea of internet trolls complaining about how terrible a person they believe Musk to be is nothing compared to chemical castration and being convicted of gross indecency for what one chooses to do behind closed doors.
- yencabulator 3y agoPlus, that would give the ability to degrade communications whenever it's tactically useful. Flight MH17 investigations revealed Russian military has a habit of switching to cellphones when their normal communications don't work, and those calls tend to be plain audio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_17