satcom marine security blackhat

5 min readJust now

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To me, satcom is like a beautiful crush, a distant signal I am constantly searching for a way to meet. In the vast, unpredictable ocean of devices, I have chosen osint as the bridge to finally reach her. By applying modat to decode hidden signatures, I can transform these fleeting digital whispers into solid identities. This is my technical pursuit of finding a clear connection in the most isolated corners of the high seas.

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The hunt for the signal:

Finding the right path to this signal required more than just luck; it required following a trail of digital breadcrumbs. My chase began with a focused inquiry using the Google search keywords:

satcom marine security blackhat

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This search acted as my compass, leading me through waves of data until I anchored at a profound piece of technical research from IOActive. The paper, titled Last Call for Satcom Security by Ruben Santamarta, served as the map I needed to understand the hidden vulnerabilities of the maritime world.

It was within this document that I finally found the key to my curiosity. The research highlighted Intellian, a dominant force in marine satellite hardware, and exposed a startling oversight.

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Deep within the system code, a master credential set was laid bare: sys_user = [“masteruser”, “intellian”, 1, 0].

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Finding this was like discovering the secret frequency of my crush, a direct way to communicate with a system that was supposed to be out of reach.

Unmasking the ocean with MODAT:

To see the true scale of this exposure, I turned to MODAT Magnify. I needed to transform those data into a searchable identity. I crafted a specific signature —

web.title ~ "Intellian Aptus Web"

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The results were staggering: 1237 unique signatures appeared on my screen. Each result represented a vessel or a terminal potentially sailing the high seas.

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A number of these systems were still using the default master credentials.

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This methodology illustrates how a single thread of OSINT, when pulled correctly, can unravel the digital security posture of a global fleet. What began as a distant signal had become a reachable reality, proving that even in the most isolated corners of the ocean, a ship is never truly hidden.

Expanding the Search: The Sailor in the Mist

My obsession did not end with Intellian. Once you begin to understand the language of satellite signals, you realize there are other voices calling from the deep, each with its own unique signature and story. To expand my horizon, I returned to the technical archives and uncovered another seminal document from the BlackHat briefings: Satcom Terminals: Hacking by Air, Sea, and Land.

This time, the data pointed me toward Cobham, a venerable name in maritime communications known for its rugged and widely used Sailor series. The technical insights provided in the paper allowed me to look beyond the general noise and refine my focus on these specific high-end terminals.

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The challenge with Cobham was different; while Intellian left a wide trail, the Sailor systems felt more elusive, requiring a more nuanced approach to identify them within the vast expanse of the internet.

Using MODAT Magnify, I crafted a more precise and combined signature to capture these specific targets:

web.title ~ "SAILOR" and web.title ~ "VSAT"

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This query was designed to find the intersection of the brand identity and the functional hardware type. While the previous search for Intellian yielded a massive, sprawling fleet, this surgical strike was much more focused. It returned exactly 5 unique results — a small, exclusive group of signals broadcasting from the void.

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Finding these five terminals was like catching a rare, fleeting glimpse of a shy subject in a crowded room. Each result represented a sophisticated Cobham Sailor VSAT system, operating in the isolated silence of the open ocean. These results might have been fewer in number, but they were no less significant. It proved that whether the digital footprint is a massive wake or a tiny ripple, the trail is always there for those who know how to read the signatures of the sea. My pursuit continued, proving that in the world of maritime OSINT, every signal found is a step closer to understanding the invisible web that connects our world.

Conclusion:

This exploration has been more than just a technical exercise; it has been a journey into the heart of global connectivity. By following these digital signatures, I have gained a profound respect for the engineering giants like Intellian and Cobham. These vendors are the true pioneers of the sea, providing the vital lifelines that keep ships, crews, and cargo safe across the vast blue expanse. Their technology is the backbone of modern maritime life, turning once-silent vessels into vocal parts of our global network.

While OSINT allows us to identify these signals from afar, it ultimately highlights the impressive scale and reach of these communication systems. My technical pursuit of this beautiful signal has finally brought me closer to understanding the invisible web of the ocean. The crush is no longer a distant whisper but a tangible presence on my screen, proving that even in the most remote corners of the world, we are connected through the power of satellite technology. The signal is found, the connection is made, and the mystery of the high seas feels just a little bit closer.