Secure satellite internet usage in high-risk areas

Sammanfattning: Background. In high-risk areas, a reliable and secure internet connection is not always guaranteed. If the terrestrial internet infrastructure is damaged due to armed conflicts in the area, the internet is shut down or internet traffic is monitored by antagonistic parties, satellite internet technology could be a suitable alternative for people or organizations operating in these areas. However, satellite internet comes with its own advantages and shortcomings, and if satellite internet systems are going to be used in these areas, there is a need for secure utilization of the system and awareness of possible vulnerabilities, threats, and risks of using them. Objectives. There are four main objectives of this study: (1) To identify the general threats and vulnerabilities that accompany the use of satellite internet technology in a high-risk area. (2) To assess the risks to the user's safety that may come as a consequence of the vulnerabilities being exploited or threats being realized. (3) To identify possible mitigations to the risks, and device best practices for the secure use of satellite internet technology in high-risk areas. (4) Produce a document that provides information about satellite internet technology, clarifies what vulnerabilities, threats, and risks could be present when using satellite internet in a high-risk area and how the user may assess the risk according to their own situation, the document should also provide the user with mitigations and best practices for the secure use of the satellite internet technology in order to ensure the user's safety. Methods. A structured literature review, semi-structured interviews, and multiple threat analysis methods were used to gather and evaluate the threats to satellite internet. The literature review presented the previous research done, and the interviews gave some perspectives from the industry. The results were then compiled into a document which we evaluated in a workshop to determine its usability and get feedback we could use to improve it. Results. The results show that satellite internet systems are exposed to several attacks, and tracking was a discovered threat that was not mentioned in previous research. When making our example risk assessment tracking also received the highest score, due to it allowing an adversary to threaten the physical safety of a user. Conclusions. The interest in satellite internet security research seems to have recently increased. The most exposed part of the satellite internet infrastructure is the wireless communication link, especially in high-risk areas where attacks targeting the radio signal are more prevalent. User awareness was our most important mitigation against the threats found and is the core contribution of this work.