Skygrabber

Unknown

I heard about Skygrabber in the news.· Has anyone used it?· I don't suggest people get in trouble.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/17/insurgents-hack-drones/

http://www.skygrabber.com/en/index.php

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HollyMinkowski

A security hole of this magnitude in a system so critical leads me
to speculate that the 'hole' was left open to feed false data to anyone stupid
enough to not realize that this was just too good to be true.

BradC

HollyMinkowski said...
A security hole of this magnitude in a system so critical leads me
to speculate that the 'hole' was left open to feed false data to anyone stupid
enough to not realize that this was just too good to be true.

What is critical about it and where is the "hole"? We've been doing this for years, it's just someone has put together a point 'n click windows package so that anyone can do it without needing to understand the background behind it. Satellite, wireless, cellular, its all the same to a degree. Heck, even tapping fibres is not difficult if you can get physical access to them.

If you are at all sensitive about your information, you encrypt it. Otherwise you need to assume someone, somewhere will have access to it. If you put it over the airways then you are extremely naive to think it's in any way, shape or form private.

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Life may be "too short", but it's the longest thing we ever do.

Gadgetman

The 'hole' is that the video feed from the onboard camera is sent UNENCRYPTED through a satellite link.
No one can intercept the uplink, but anyone with a receiver can catch the downlink from the satellite to the base.
In fact, US and allied forces have receivers in the planes, and even portable units on the ground for just that purpose.

Now, when the insurgents catches these 'broadcasts', they see in REAL TIME where the drone is flying, and can not only call ahead to warn groups in the likely path, but they also learn which areas are of interest of the operator, how good their own camouflage is, and if the drone is overflying a firefight, they may even be able to see where coalition forces are taking cover.

Knowing what your enemy see(and know) and what he doesn't is a damned good advantage.

The fact that this security hole has been known for a DECADE is worse than pathetic, it's CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENCE!

One spokesman has said that this only affects older drones, but if so, why the H! have they deployed those to a warzone?
Or better yet, why haven't they been upgraded?

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