Secrets in the sky: On privacy and infrastructure security in DVB-S satellite broadband

Abstract

Demands for ubiquitous global connectivity have sparked a satellite broadband renaissance. Secure satellite broadband is vital to ensuring that this growth does not beget unanticipated harm. Motivated by this need, this paper presents an experimental security analysis of satellite broadband signals using the Digital Video Broadcasting for Satellite (DVB-S) protocol. This analysis comprises 14 geostationary platforms encompassing over 100 million square kilometers of combined coverage area. Using less than €300 of widely available equipment, we demonstrate the ability to identify individual satellite customers, often down to full name and address, and their web browsing activities. Moreover, we find that these vulnerabilities may enable damaging attacks against critical infrastructure, including power plants and SCADA systems. The paper concludes with a discussion of possible confidentiality protections in satellite broadband environments and notes a need for further cryptographic research on link-layer encryption for DVB-S broadband.