Iraqi insurgents using $26 software to monitor Predator video feeds

We can't say we've ever heard of a $26 Russian program called SkyGrabber before, but it's about to get famous real fast -- according to the Wall Street Journal, Iraqi insurgents have been regularly using the satellite-snooping software to monitor live Predator video feeds. Apparently the Predator transmits video over an unencrypted link, so there's no major hacking or security breach going on here, but it's obviously a huge issue -- and we'd say the bigger problem is that Pentagon officials have known about this flaw since the 1990s, but they didn't think insurgents would figure out how to exploit it. Way to underestimate, guys. The WSJ says the military is working to encrypt all Predator feeds from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, but it's slow going because the Predator network is more than a decade old and based on proprietary tech -- too bad it's not proprietary enough to keep prying eyes out of it.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[colinfox Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:50PM]

Sounds like the proprietary software used in Skylab and given to the Russians in the movie Space Cowboys.

[Cybersurfer Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:11PM]

Both of them can filter^

They can also filter files by IP address, MAC address and source & destination ports.

screenshots of both programs:
http://bit.ly/8eMm8R
http://bit.ly/5ydHfR

[dUN Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:14PM]

all i can do is laugh and cash my check from my bank...

[centeredtype Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:28PM]

No one has read the article? They HAVE NOT DONE THAT. They are simply saying they could, but no one has yet to hack and actually do this. This is just sneaky way of catching headlines.

[kenny goo Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:43PM]

U S A!

U S A!

U S A!

[Badison Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:06PM]

Crazy stuff!

@Engadget:
Your source link is bad! It should be:

"online.wsj.com/article/SB126102247889095011.html?mod=igoogle_wsj_gadgv1&", not:

"http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/17/iraqi-insurgents-using-26-software-to-monitor-predator-video-fe/online.wsj.com/article/SB126102247889095011.html?mod=igoogle_wsj_gadgv1&"

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:13PM]

I hope a lot of insurgents see themselves in these videos.

[Wwhat Posted Dec 18th 2009 2:21PM]

@(Unverified)
And I hope they win, to each his own.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:15PM]

The real threat is not from insurgents, we have to start worrying about SKYNET.

[firefly4322 Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:35PM]

Im sorry but I do believe that this really isnt news... Pictures been running around the internet for some time now about this. As well, it dont matter. Just know, you bad guys out there... We're watching you. =)

[sherwinzadeh Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:53PM]

I'm more surprised that the Insurgents pay $26 for the software instead of torrenting it.

[Eternal Density Posted Dec 17th 2009 5:17PM]

Insurgent #1 "Hey, I can see my house!"
Insurgent #2 "Uh..."
*boom*

[engadgetjp Posted Dec 17th 2009 5:33PM]

Can I get that software too? It's gonna be fun streaming UAV image online!

[BMills Posted Dec 18th 2009 10:59AM]

Here would be the great part. Maybe if the Pentagon would have turned out to realize this could be a very valuable tool.

The feed has been deemed "not important"

There is simple software to hack in and watch it.

Maybe if we had designed the software and then distributed it out through an underground black market, then maybe we could rig it to send out a certain wifi signal from these laptops, learning where these guys are....

Then they could watch their own death sentence on a Live feed.

Or just keep the beacons open and watch their patterns....maybe catch Bin Laden?

[Murphdog856 Posted Dec 18th 2009 1:23PM]

Ok....the $26 program by itself cannot "receive" video from the drones..period. There is no excuse for using "in the clear" video unless this was on purpose. Unless the millitary is downlinking the video in the KU band in some sort of MPEG video then the bad guys are not using off the shelf satellite DVB cards. I would wait and see what the hell is really going on.

[codebreaker Posted Dec 18th 2009 6:13PM]

@Murphdog856
3 letters, VLC

[codebreaker Posted Dec 18th 2009 6:12PM]

Best fix: seamlessly switch the video feed over to a sim, encrypt and transmit the real feed quietly on a different port/pipe

[alangreen74 Posted Dec 19th 2009 11:41AM]

This is what you get for privatizing and selling away out nation's top secrets... soon they'll be able to control our tomahawk missiles. Want to know how to prepare? http://www.tictacdo.com/ttd/Build-a-Fallout-Shelter

[alangreen74 Posted Dec 20th 2009 9:22AM]

Yeah. And don't even get me started on the Chinese...

[The Temporary Snowman Posted Dec 22nd 2009 7:54AM]

Your UAV is online.....

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/callofduty/images/4/48/BigBrother.jpg

[Nitesh Posted Jan 19th 2010 6:12PM]

Morons were probably using WEP encryption...