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US Air Force Space Security Challenge 2020: Hack-a-Sat

hackasat.com

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Re: US Air Force Space Security Challenge 2020: Hack-a-Sat

#81

Post by exabrial »

devchix wrote: post #71

Bruce Schneier already posit that hack-a-thing challenge is not a good test or proof of whether a thing is vulnerable. Back in the days when everyone was coming out with hash and cipher algo there were bounties offered as PR of how strong thingX was. Not everyone is going to take up a challenge, if I were a real criminal I would discover the vulnerability (if any) and keep it to myself because the exploit, especially…

Agree 100%, if someone was to seriously think and ad-hoc team was a replacement for a formal security audit... well they get what they deserve. I'm not sure where these fall in the mix, but they definitely seem useful, more eyes on a problem the better.

Re: US Air Force Space Security Challenge 2020: Hack-a-Sat

#82

Post by pstrateman »

sandworm101 wrote: post #2

>>Participants who successfully complete a set of qualification challenges on cybersecurity and space this spring will be invited to the ultimate challenge: to (ethically) hack a satellite. Lol. That is so military public affairs. You are allowed to hack a satellite after being vetted and approved by government. Are Canadians allowed to participate? How about Russians? What about crypto-anarchists who will never pass…

This is pretty obviously a recruiting event.

Makes sense that they only want potential recruits to participate.

Re: US Air Force Space Security Challenge 2020: Hack-a-Sat

#83

Post by wil421 »

amiga wrote: post #21
HenryKissinger wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Won the Air Force Space Security Challenge" on your resume is basically a license to k̶i̶l̶l̶ name your own salary with any reputable tech company.

The winners are certainly a potential threat to national (global?) security. What's the price of a celebrity status like that?

Look how well Edward Snowden was doing. Living in Hawaii and making $200k a year at his high point.

Re: US Air Force Space Security Challenge 2020: Hack-a-Sat

#85

Post by henvic »

hongseleco wrote: post #63
henvic wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd bet they're most certainly doing this so smart kids are brainwashed and drink the kool-aid of warmongers.

> Anti-MIC comment Depends on where you draw your ethical boundaries? I mean it's a lucrative career in itself and you get to work in cutting edge tech that hopefully never gets proliferated to other countries (esp. the oppressive ones).

The US society is great, but the US government is oppressive and responsible for murders and destruction. There is a clear line between society and a state/government.

Re: US Air Force Space Security Challenge 2020: Hack-a-Sat

#86

Post by gccxsse »

readhn wrote: post #73

Is it just me or is $50K is really low price to pay, almost like a slap in the face, for a satellite level vulnerability? If i remember correctly military satellites often carry civilian comm services: important business communications/financial networks etc. What would be the black market price for something like this? It has to be at least 10x more at $500K as a low end. Realistically a million $+

It looks like a ctf not a bugbounty.

Re: US Air Force Space Security Challenge 2020: Hack-a-Sat

#87

Post by loeg »

aardvark291 wrote: post #32
loeg wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At scale all radio is absorbed by something... mostly not your recipient's antenna.

or continues propagating into the endless depths of space

Sure. Unlikely for 5G towers given frequencies and location.

Re: US Air Force Space Security Challenge 2020: Hack-a-Sat

#88

Post by IMAYousaf »

readme wrote: post #44
IMAYousaf wrote: post #38

Hello. My CS experience is quite elementary, and I'm a decent enough Web Dev and Scientific Programmer. If I wanted to be the type of hacker capable of taking down a Satellite, what would be everything that I would need to learn? I assume that this is super complex (Duh) but am curious as to the actual extent of knowledge required to pull this off.

getting an SDR and learning about RF would be a good start

Appreciate the response. Any good readings on that? And where do I go from there?

Re: US Air Force Space Security Challenge 2020: Hack-a-Sat

#90

Post by viksit »

readme wrote: post #46
viksit wrote: post #37

Is there a pointer on where to read more about challenges like this - technical information on how space com systems work, and what some example CTFs are?

here's the guide on how to play in a CTF https://trailofbits.github.io/ctf/intro/find.html for space comms, search "site:nasa.gov satellite"

Thanks, but I was referring to space comms ctfs specifically :) it’s one thing to find a buffer overflow exploit on http but I don’t even know what the carrier protocol for a ku band transponder is called..
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