Military Communications and Information Technology: A Trusted ...

432 Military Communications and Information Technology...
to the protection of information resources. Experience gained with development
of the Internet shows that it is reasonable to take dynamic action to develop methods
and tools to protect satellite information resources.
Services responsible for monitoring the proper usage of radio spectrum and
the services responsible for national security, have tools to monitor the terrestrial
radio, but currently they are not in the possession of any system supporting detection
of law violations in the field of satellite techniques.
Developing a set of components in the form of methods and tools supporting
a detection process of unauthorized satellite transmissions sent using VSAT
terminals has become the object and purpose of the project TransSat proposed by
a consortium composed of Military Communication Institute, Institute of Aeronautics
and Applied Mechanics Warsaw University of Technology (ITLiMS),
Astri Poland (APL), WOOD System Integrator (WOOD).
II. Activities affecting safety of the satellite communications
Unauthorized activities, affecting the security of satellite communication are
meant as any action whose effects are inadequate in terms of relevant legislation,
both Polish and international. Unauthorized activities can be classified into two
main groups:
• intentional actions – involving the aware crossing of the law and acting to
the detriment of other persons or institutions,
• accidental (unintentional) activities – as a result of mistake of human,
equipment or software that controls devices.
For unauthorized activities in the area of TransSat project interest there are
included following types of events:
• intentional actions like:
✓ interfering with legitimate transmissions by broadcasting on the same
uplink frequency,
✓ interfering with the official communication channels of satellites waiting
for a command from the control center to continue the mission,
✓ activities similar to "hacking" ones, to take control over portal – e.g.
taking control over TV channel,
✓ transmission realization on free frequency bands, without the consent
of the satellite operator,
✓ transmissions to the detriment of national security: civilian (jurisdiction
of the Internal Security Agency) and military (jurisdiction of Military
Counterintelligence Services).
• unintentional activities like:
✓ entry into occupied by another user uplink frequency, as a result of an error
in handling VSAT satellite terminal or as a result of Coordination
Center employee error,