You Can't Block Space Internet
a month ago
- #SpaceX
- #Cybersecurity
- #Internet Censorship
- Iran's government imposed an internet blackout amid unrest, but some citizens are using SpaceX's Starlink to bypass restrictions.
- Activists smuggled about 50,000 Starlink terminals into Iran, defying a ban, with U.S. sanctions exemptions aiding the effort.
- Iranian authorities struggle to block Starlink, resorting to warnings, drone confiscations, and electronic jamming with Russian equipment.
- SpaceX waived fees for Iranian users, reacting to political pressure, similar to its response during Ukraine's conflict.
- Starlink's use in Ukraine led to military complications and funding disputes with the Pentagon.
- Scam compounds misused Starlink, prompting SpaceX to disable terminals after U.S. congressional scrutiny.
- Emerging direct-to-cell satellite services could offer better resistance to government censorship but require more setup.
- Gen. Joshua Rudd's lack of strong stances on key cyber issues during his NSA/Cyber Command confirmation hearing drew criticism.
- Positive developments include a DDoS attack on OCCRP signaling impactful journalism, the shutdown of criminal marketplace Tudou Guarantee, and FTC restrictions on GM's data sharing.
- Global cybersecurity updates: SMS phishing in Europe, domain resurrection attacks on Snap Store, Germany expanding surveillance powers, and DRAM shortages affecting firewall costs.