Darknavy Institute claims hack of new Starlink terminals
The independent cybersecurity institute Darknavy, headquartered in Singapore and Shanghai, said it had obtained full administrative control over the latest Starlink satellite internet user terminals. According to the researchers, they used sophisticated hardware attacks that made it possible to run arbitrary custom code on the devices.
Darknavy reported this in a social media post on Tuesday. As the South China Morning Post writes, the publication contacted SpaceX for comment on these findings.
Research opportunities
According to Darknavy's assessment, control over a terminal could open opportunities for an in-depth study of how Starlink satellites interact with ground equipment. Researchers could potentially model, implement, intercept and analyze communication protocols to identify vulnerabilities across the entire satellite network.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
A Starlink terminal simultaneously serves as an antenna and a router and is an important node for direct communication with satellites in low Earth orbit. Data from them is transmitted through ground gateways to the internet. Some newer satellites are also equipped with laser communication links that allow them to exchange data with one another, reducing dependence on ground stations.
Previous attempts
In 2022, at the Black Hat USA conference, KU Leuven researcher Lennert Wouters demonstrated an attack on a first-generation Starlink antenna using voltage fault injection. SpaceX subsequently added targeted protection mechanisms to newer models, and international research teams were unable to overcome this protection for several years.
In March, Darknavy purchased a Starlink Standard Actuated terminal in Singapore, disassembled its antenna and began analyzing the firmware. The institute did not disclose details of the current research, noting that it would publish information on its official website in the future.
