Military secrets broadcast unencrypted

Satellite operators skipped encryption on half of global satellite traffic—including military communications, banking data, and T-Mobile calls.

UC San Diego and University of Maryland researchers published findings on 14 October 2025, revealing that 50% of geostationary satellite communications broadcast unencrypted.

Researchers intercepted traffic using $800 in consumer equipment over a three-year study monitoring 39 satellites.

Remote cell towers, military vessels, banks, and utilities chose to save money on encryption costs and bandwidth rather than secure communications visible to 40% of Earth's surface at any time.

Anyone with basic gear can intercept calls, texts, and operational data that run critical infrastructure and national security operations.

Will the remaining unnamed infrastructure operators and telecom providers implement encryption after being notified by researchers?

Will cost concerns and complexity continue to outweigh security even after the public exposure of the vulnerability?

[Analysis] TechCrunch, 14 October 2025: Satellites found exposing unencrypted data, including phone calls and some military comms — Researchers spent the past year alerting affected organizations, including T-Mobile and AT&T, but warn that large amounts of satellite data will remain unencrypted and exposed for years to come due to cost barriers and lack of coordinated oversight across the satellite communications industry.

Satellite TV has used encryption for decades to prevent piracy. Your phone calls through space didn't get the same treatment because nobody thought you'd check.

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