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Satellite communications providers, especially those offering L-band (mobile) services, are really the low hanging fruit of the SIGINT world. They're pretty mu
by rdl 12y ago
Satellite communications providers, especially those offering L-band (mobile) services, are really the low hanging fruit of the SIGINT world. They're pretty much only used by "interesting" people due to cost, in areas which are inaccessible otherwise (non-permissive to HUMINT, etc.)
That they tend to be run by technically incompetent people, using expensive black box hardware they don't understand, and with multiple levels of indirection between end user and the Internet (transponders, ground stations, facilities, virtual network operators, ...) makes it all much more vulnerable.
Combine that with price sensitivity (so subsidized government stuff can be cheaper, and legal expenses unacceptable), and a highly regulated environment (ITAR + various spectrum licensing and launch regimes), and it's a perfect storm.
The only more interesting target would be "satellite comms network dedicated to high value international payments".
(Disclaimer: I started/ran a satellite communications and wireless provider, and worked for or with a bunch of others.)
- zz1 12y ago> (Disclaimer: I started/ran a satellite communications and wireless provider, and worked for or with a bunch of others.) Which means you are under active and targeted surveillance. Great to see you put encryption contact info in your profile.
- schoen 12y agordl has a few other fun reasons to have attracted the Eye of Sauron. Like that one time when he was the only inhabitant of an entire country.
- zz1 12y agoYou can't just stop after telling that… Only inhabitant of an entire country? How can it be?
- schoen 12y agoOne account is in http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1035&context=james_grimmelmann http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1035&co... You might notice some discussion there of what counts as a country.
- zz1 12y agoThank you both!
- rdl 12y agohttp://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/8.07/haven.html http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/8.07/haven.html
- jokoon 12y ago> They're pretty much only used by "interesting" people due to cost Came to say that as well. I don't know the satellite internet business market, but it's obvious that if it's used by individuals in the middle east, it will be an obvious target. Having a mobile internet connexion in africa can easily draw attention...