A shocking new study from researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the University of Maryland (UMD) has revealed that thousands of satellites are unknowingly broadcasting sensitive, unencrypted data — and anyone with about $800 worth of consumer equipment could listen in.
The three-year investigation uncovered a massive security gap in global satellite communications, exposing private calls, corporate information, and even military transmissions to potential interception.
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How Researchers Discovered the Problem
The team set up a small rooftop satellite dish on top of a UC San Diego building. Using off-the-shelf components, they monitored signals from geostationary satellites — the kind that provide in-flight WiFi, connect remote offices, and support communications across oceans and deserts.
To their surprise, the researchers found that a large share of these transmissions were completely unencrypted. They were able to intercept data from T-Mobile phone calls, in-flight internet sessions, Walmart logistics systems, and even U.S. and Mexican military communications.
And that’s just the beginning — the team estimates they accessed only about 15% of the satellites within range, meaning there’s likely much more vulnerable data floating through space.
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What Kind of Data Was Exposed
According to the study, the intercepted traffic included:
Voice calls and text messages from mobile networks
Emails, chat messages, and web browsing activity from in-flight WiFi users
Corporate communications, supply chain updates, and tracking data
Internal military messages and ship-to-shore transmissions
While many websites use HTTPS encryption, a surprising number of companies and agencies still rely on unencrypted satellite backhaul links, leaving entire communication streams exposed to anyone with the right equipment and technical know-how.
Even more alarming, one satellite’s signal footprint can cover up to 40% of Earth’s surface — meaning a single vulnerable link could expose communications across continents.
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Why So Many Satellites Are Still Unencrypted
The study’s authors discovered that the lack of encryption isn’t due to technical impossibility — it’s mostly about cost and complacency.
Adding encryption to a satellite network can be expensive, especially for older systems still in use. Many companies simply skip it to save money, assuming no one would ever go through the trouble of intercepting space-based signals.
As one researcher put it, “They just didn’t think anyone would look up.”
In other cases, organizations weren’t even aware that their satellite providers were transmitting unprotected data. Once notified, T-Mobile and Walmart quickly responded and encrypted their traffic, but countless others remain exposed.
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A Global Security Wake-Up Call
The findings highlight a serious global cybersecurity blind spot. Satellite communications are used by airlines, military agencies, news networks, shipping companies, and emergency responders around the world.
If these channels are not properly secured, they can be exploited by hackers, foreign governments, or anyone with modest technical skills.
The researchers emphasized that they conducted the experiment ethically — they only observed the data, did not store personal content, and informed affected parties before publishing their findings.
However, their work proves that intercepting satellite traffic is no longer a high-tech or nation-state activity — it’s something within reach of hobbyists and cybercriminals alike.
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Industry Response and Next Steps
Following the study’s release, many organizations have started reviewing their satellite security practices. Some are working with providers to enable end-to-end encryption, while others are transitioning to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) systems such as Starlink, which tend to have stronger built-in encryption.
Experts say the fix is straightforward — encrypt all satellite communications, just like we encrypt web traffic — but implementing it across the world’s satellite infrastructure will take time and money.
The research team has launched a public awareness project called “Don’t Look Up”, sharing technical findings and recommendations to help satellite operators close these gaps.
This study serves as a powerful reminder that the internet isn’t just vulnerable on land — it’s also wide open in space. The same satellites connecting remote regions, ships, and airplanes are also silently leaking private information across half the planet.
With the right steps, encryption can fix most of these issues. But until global satellite operators take security seriously, anyone with a small dish and some curiosity could be listening in.