Hacking Satellites for Fun & Profit

Are satellites really just IoT devices in space? They’re small computers and connected to the internet, not unlike Nest thermostats, baby video monitors, and smart toasters. You’d think that they’d be a lot more complex and secure… but are they really? My two guests today are running a program to test that very question, and in the process, try to make our military and commercial satellites more secure. We don’t think about it, but satellites play a crucial role in our daily lives. GPS satellites are used by airplanes, ships and even agricultural machinery. Weather satellites allow us to predict the path of severe storms and save countless lives. We take them for granted, but these orbiting computers are critical in our modern lives. The Hack-A-Sat contest was created to help ensure the security of these systems. Anyone can enter – and time to register for this year’s tournament is running out!

Carl Rodio Jr. is Principal Cyber Security Engineer for The MITRE Corporation, supporting the US Space Force Defensive Cyber Operations for Space Systems (DCO-S) program.  MITRE operates Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC’s), which support the US government in a variety of capacities.

Jason Williams is a Security Researcher, Engineer, and CEO of Cromulence LLC and member of Legitimate Business Syndicate (organizers of DEF CON CTF 2012-2017). 15+ years experience in cybersecurity and vulnerability research.

Further Info

• Hack-A-Sat 2: https://www.hackasat.com/ 
• US Digital Service: https://www.usds.gov/
• Cromulence LLC: https://cromulence.com/
• MITRE Corp: https://www.mitre.org/
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