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

&gt;&gt;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.<p>Lol. That is so military public affairs. You are <i>allowed</i> to hack a satellite <i>after</i> being vetted and approved by government. Are Canadians allowed to participate? How about Russians? What about crypto-anarchists who will never pass a military-type background check? I cannot think of a less hacker-friendly competition.<p>How about this: Just launch the damn satellite. Tell us which rocket it is on (I assume it is a ride share) and give 100k to the first team that manages to broadcast a rickroll.<p>Bonus round: An extra 100k for any team that leverages the sat to listen in to the spysat network, the one operating on 60 GHz so that it cannot be heard from the ground directly. (Fyi, if you want to meet some men in black, try putting some 60GHz capability on your cubesat. They no like anything that might jam that spectrum.)<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Satellite_Data_System" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Satellite_Data_System</a>

&quot;The FlatSat CTF Event occurs with FlatSat hardware and a virtual&#x2F;simulated space environment.&quot;<p>For the uninitiated: when an operator builds a satellite they usually build at least 3 or 4 of the same bird for every one they launch. This includes the initial &quot;FlatSat&quot; which is a fully working prototype but built onto a flat proto-board rather than the launched form factor, this makes troubleshooting easier in the initial stages. Later on these development prototypes can also be used to troubleshoot problems that occur in space.<p>So somewhere there is an Air Force warehouse packed to the gills with all the development and flat-sats that were never intended to fly. Although obviously they would never use real hardware on an event like this for a number of reasons, if they did it would only be for old hardware that&#x27;s been retired. But still an interesting idea.

My work focuses primarily on consumer application development, however cybersecurity and CTF challenges like this have always been an interest.<p>What specific technical skills are required to successfully complete challenges like this?

Would be interested in any US citizen to join our team.<p>We have the skills, but we are all either Canadian or British, sadly. Email me at contact@exodusorbitals.com<p>P.S. Any cybersecurity experience is an asset, but not a requirement.

I&#x27;ll bet that foreign intelligence people that actually know how to hack satellites are looking at each other and laughing.

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?

Hello. My CS experience is quite elementary, and I&#x27;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.

Is the target an <i>actual</i> satellite in space, or is it on the ground &#x2F; simulated?

&gt;..the ultimate challenge: to (ethically) hack a satellite.<p>I guess &quot;legally&quot; would be the right word here. Ethics are subjective. But who are we kidding, they know exactly why they chose this word.

$14 billion 2020 budget for the USAF space portfolio[1], $50 thousand prize (split between entire team) to reveal detailed procedure to hack the USAF space portfolio. I feel like they should be a bit more generous here.<p>[1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.af.mil&#x2F;News&#x2F;Article-Display&#x2F;Article&#x2F;1783601&#x2F;air-forces-fiscal-2020-budget-focuses-on-modernization-readiness-confronting-gl&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.af.mil&#x2F;News&#x2F;Article-Display&#x2F;Article&#x2F;1783601&#x2F;air-...</a>

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 a secret one, is worth more than the bounty, and has a longer pay period.

Why on Earth would you help them militairise outerspace and draw a crosshair on your forehead while being at it ? As if current spacejunk isn&#x27;t enough of a threat to humanities future in space already. This sounds all awesome at first, but think about it for a second.

Bold to expect Defcon to happen this year.

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&#x2F;financial networks etc.<p>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 $+

I hope there is a def con this year

What SDR uses +6ghz? I heard HackRF only goes to 6ghz but not over?

Anyone want to participate in this? Please contact