[amsat-bb] satellite piracy

[Nate Duehr]

Interesting article in SANS News today.  (SANS is a network/computer
security organization... http://www.sans.org)

--Tamil Rebels Hijack US Satellite Signal
(April 13, 2007)
Rebel independence fighters in Sri Lanka have been pirating the services
of a US satellite to send radio and television broadcasts to other
countries.  In 1997, the US government identified this particular group,
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, as a terrorist
organization.  The satellite belongs to Intelstat, a US company.
Intelstat officials have been meeting with technical experts and Sri
Lanka's Ambassador to the US to discuss measures the company it is
taking to prevent the satellite's unauthorized use.  The rebels maintain
they are not accessing the satellite illegally.
http://australianit.news.com<http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,21549846%5E15322%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html>
.au/articles/0,7204,21549846%5E15322%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html<http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,21549846%5E15322%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html>
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1897037.htm

The question comes to mind -- what if the "rebels" were licensed hams and
using a ham HEO (if one were up)?  Talk about a political nightmare...

Unlikely, but interesting to think about.

Nate WY0X