The encryption of satellite phones can easily be cracked, claim two German researchers. The GMR-1 and GMR-2-certifications were by reverse-engineering broken with a test computer of no more than 1500 euro.
Benedikt Driessen and Ralf Hund from Ruhr Universität in Bochum have an explanation about how a satellite connection is to be intercepted and the encryption can be cracked. They accomplished this in 30 minutes on a normal pc. With a more powerful computer it would, of course, go faster.
The researchers analysed the firmware of the Thraya SO-2510-telephone and could, as the encryption algorithms to find out. On the web there is a description to find a similar hack.
With the publication of the hack hope to the researchers that ETSI, the organization that, inter alia, encryptiestandaarden commit, in the future, stronger algorithms are used. ETSI has, according to the researchers, relied much on the ‘security by obscurity’concept.
Worldwide, there are about a hundred thousand satelliettelefoongebruikers. The technology is still often used in areas where cell towers is not commonplace. Especially ngos, governments, and military belong to the users.