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Satellite for internet… Safe enough?

How secure is SSL/TLS, explained in laymans terms?What would one need to do in order to hijack a satellite?Is it possible to decrypt a satellite TV signal without using a smart card?Can I use a satellite phone for 2 factor auth sms and such?Is my online account at a financial firm safe?Are six digit temporary numerical pins secure enough for online accounts?How to keep web traffic private with a satellite intenet connectionEmail/facebook account/internet protection service for private communityFind the way back to the safe mode

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2

Hope this is not off topic. We bought a house. We need internet for basic research, email and paying bills. There is NO INTERNET... Even a dedicated hotspot will not give us a stable connection. We are planning to get Satellite Internet. Is it safe to pay bills and access accounts through this? Specifically, should be be concerned that someone can just snag our signal out of the air and steal our information? I know ANYTHING is possible, but is it likely? My wife is concerned and I need some answers to assure her...

Keep in mind we are out in the middle of nowhere, there is not any other service providers out here and our cells have spotty reception...

account-security satellite

share|improve this question

asked 9 hours ago

Ben BatesBen Bates

1322 bronze badges

New contributor

Ben Bates is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  why do you think that internet in the middle of a city or on your phone is safer?
  
  – schroeder♦
  9 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I don't... She doesn't want to use Cell-tower based service to pay bill either. We never use a hotspot that we didn't set-up. If you computer is configured correctly, I have always been led to believe that a wired connection is always safer than an "over the air" coinnection.
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Internet on satellite is not safe, neither is it safe on a phone or on broadband city ISPs. Signals can be stolen at any point.
  
  – schroeder♦
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I am not looking for an "absolute" answer. More of a likelihood answer.
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment
 | 

2

Hope this is not off topic. We bought a house. We need internet for basic research, email and paying bills. There is NO INTERNET... Even a dedicated hotspot will not give us a stable connection. We are planning to get Satellite Internet. Is it safe to pay bills and access accounts through this? Specifically, should be be concerned that someone can just snag our signal out of the air and steal our information? I know ANYTHING is possible, but is it likely? My wife is concerned and I need some answers to assure her...

Keep in mind we are out in the middle of nowhere, there is not any other service providers out here and our cells have spotty reception...

account-security satellite

share|improve this question

asked 9 hours ago

Ben BatesBen Bates

1322 bronze badges

New contributor

Ben Bates is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  why do you think that internet in the middle of a city or on your phone is safer?
  
  – schroeder♦
  9 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I don't... She doesn't want to use Cell-tower based service to pay bill either. We never use a hotspot that we didn't set-up. If you computer is configured correctly, I have always been led to believe that a wired connection is always safer than an "over the air" coinnection.
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Internet on satellite is not safe, neither is it safe on a phone or on broadband city ISPs. Signals can be stolen at any point.
  
  – schroeder♦
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I am not looking for an "absolute" answer. More of a likelihood answer.
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment
 | 

Hope this is not off topic. We bought a house. We need internet for basic research, email and paying bills. There is NO INTERNET... Even a dedicated hotspot will not give us a stable connection. We are planning to get Satellite Internet. Is it safe to pay bills and access accounts through this? Specifically, should be be concerned that someone can just snag our signal out of the air and steal our information? I know ANYTHING is possible, but is it likely? My wife is concerned and I need some answers to assure her...

Keep in mind we are out in the middle of nowhere, there is not any other service providers out here and our cells have spotty reception...

account-security satellite

share|improve this question

asked 9 hours ago

Ben BatesBen Bates

1322 bronze badges

New contributor

Ben Bates is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

asked 9 hours ago

Ben BatesBen Bates

1322 bronze badges

New contributor

Ben Bates is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

asked 9 hours ago

Ben BatesBen Bates

1322 bronze badges

New contributor

Ben Bates is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 9 hours ago

Ben BatesBen Bates

1322 bronze badges

New contributor

Ben Bates is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 9 hours ago

Ben BatesBen Bates

1322 bronze badges

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

4

Satellite is not safe. Neither is cell data, wifi, or cable Internet. None of it is safe at the layer that you are talking. And that's not the layer that needs to be safe.

It's the data that goes over satellite (or wifi, cell, or cable modems) that needs to be secured. That's why we have HTTPS, that little green lock on your browser (it's gone now on most browsers and just grey now because HTTPS is pretty much everywhere).

So your choice of internet provider's media is not what's important in your situation. It's whether you use encrypted sites over that media.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

schroeder♦schroeder

87.2k3535 gold badges195195 silver badges234234 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thank you. That is what I was looking for. I'm not talking about absolute. The world is not black and white. Everything has risks. It is all about the likelihood of using X vs using Y. She is worried that (all else being equal) using a satellite based internet service is inherently less safe than a wired internet service provider. I just need to be able to explain to her whether that is true or false and why.
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  And the answer, from a world-leading expert in cybersecurity, is that the choice of satellite over cable doesn't matter. It is all like sending postcards through the mail. Anyone along the path could read it all. That's why you need to encrypt the messages in secure envelopes and superglue; and that happens with encryption.
  
  – schroeder♦
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Are there are good articles online that I can send her? Or anything in particular that I should google about this? My word only has "some" weight. The web is so full of BS and people selling crap these days that it's hard to find good articles about anything...
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  This is more of a conceptual thing. It's not even a product thing.
  
  – schroeder♦
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @BenBates I don't think the question should be a matter of degree of which is "safer", but if it's "safe enough". It'd likely be safer to wear a helmet all the time too just walking around your house, but we deem walking around the house without a helmet "safe enough". It's the same with SSL/TLS. The security advantage of using SSL/TLS far exceeds any additional security gained by your initial hop being "over a wire".
  
  – Steve Sether
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

0

The physical support you use to transport the information doesn't make it more or less secure. Communications nowadays are all encrypted using protocols such as TLS. This means that the information cannot be read by anyone else than the receiver. You might want to read a little about Encryption.

Now while these protocols exists, it doesn't mean that everyone use them. While handling sensitive data, you have to verify yourself that they do. If you have doubts, you can probably contact your service providers for more information.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SimonSimon

40811 gold badge33 silver badges88 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Right. So if you are making a purchase on Amazon. And your computer is kept up to date and you run good firewall, etc. There shouldn't be an issue of someone snagging your data. The issue comes in if you are accessing a site that isn't properly secured, then your data could be vulnerable... That was always how I thought about it...
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  This is true when talking about communications only. There is many other risks, for example phishing or storage of the information. Your wife isn't wrong to be worried about online transactions. I'd say there is a minimum of research and knowledge to have to do sensitive things on the internet.
  
  – Simon
  7 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Concern is good. I don't mind the question. But conflating different things together makes it hard to explain why something is more or less safe. She hears horror stories of phones getting hacked, etc. I tell her that "usually" this requires a series of mistakes. Most of these hacks are from using a fake hotspot in public. WE NEVER USE PUBLIC WIFI, because of this very thing. We only use internet that we feel we can trust.
  
  – Ben Bates
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment
 | 

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4

Satellite is not safe. Neither is cell data, wifi, or cable Internet. None of it is safe at the layer that you are talking. And that's not the layer that needs to be safe.

It's the data that goes over satellite (or wifi, cell, or cable modems) that needs to be secured. That's why we have HTTPS, that little green lock on your browser (it's gone now on most browsers and just grey now because HTTPS is pretty much everywhere).

So your choice of internet provider's media is not what's important in your situation. It's whether you use encrypted sites over that media.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

schroeder♦schroeder

87.2k3535 gold badges195195 silver badges234234 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thank you. That is what I was looking for. I'm not talking about absolute. The world is not black and white. Everything has risks. It is all about the likelihood of using X vs using Y. She is worried that (all else being equal) using a satellite based internet service is inherently less safe than a wired internet service provider. I just need to be able to explain to her whether that is true or false and why.
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  And the answer, from a world-leading expert in cybersecurity, is that the choice of satellite over cable doesn't matter. It is all like sending postcards through the mail. Anyone along the path could read it all. That's why you need to encrypt the messages in secure envelopes and superglue; and that happens with encryption.
  
  – schroeder♦
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Are there are good articles online that I can send her? Or anything in particular that I should google about this? My word only has "some" weight. The web is so full of BS and people selling crap these days that it's hard to find good articles about anything...
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  This is more of a conceptual thing. It's not even a product thing.
  
  – schroeder♦
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @BenBates I don't think the question should be a matter of degree of which is "safer", but if it's "safe enough". It'd likely be safer to wear a helmet all the time too just walking around your house, but we deem walking around the house without a helmet "safe enough". It's the same with SSL/TLS. The security advantage of using SSL/TLS far exceeds any additional security gained by your initial hop being "over a wire".
  
  – Steve Sether
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

4

Satellite is not safe. Neither is cell data, wifi, or cable Internet. None of it is safe at the layer that you are talking. And that's not the layer that needs to be safe.

It's the data that goes over satellite (or wifi, cell, or cable modems) that needs to be secured. That's why we have HTTPS, that little green lock on your browser (it's gone now on most browsers and just grey now because HTTPS is pretty much everywhere).

So your choice of internet provider's media is not what's important in your situation. It's whether you use encrypted sites over that media.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

schroeder♦schroeder

87.2k3535 gold badges195195 silver badges234234 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thank you. That is what I was looking for. I'm not talking about absolute. The world is not black and white. Everything has risks. It is all about the likelihood of using X vs using Y. She is worried that (all else being equal) using a satellite based internet service is inherently less safe than a wired internet service provider. I just need to be able to explain to her whether that is true or false and why.
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  And the answer, from a world-leading expert in cybersecurity, is that the choice of satellite over cable doesn't matter. It is all like sending postcards through the mail. Anyone along the path could read it all. That's why you need to encrypt the messages in secure envelopes and superglue; and that happens with encryption.
  
  – schroeder♦
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Are there are good articles online that I can send her? Or anything in particular that I should google about this? My word only has "some" weight. The web is so full of BS and people selling crap these days that it's hard to find good articles about anything...
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  This is more of a conceptual thing. It's not even a product thing.
  
  – schroeder♦
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @BenBates I don't think the question should be a matter of degree of which is "safer", but if it's "safe enough". It'd likely be safer to wear a helmet all the time too just walking around your house, but we deem walking around the house without a helmet "safe enough". It's the same with SSL/TLS. The security advantage of using SSL/TLS far exceeds any additional security gained by your initial hop being "over a wire".
  
  – Steve Sether
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

Satellite is not safe. Neither is cell data, wifi, or cable Internet. None of it is safe at the layer that you are talking. And that's not the layer that needs to be safe.

It's the data that goes over satellite (or wifi, cell, or cable modems) that needs to be secured. That's why we have HTTPS, that little green lock on your browser (it's gone now on most browsers and just grey now because HTTPS is pretty much everywhere).

So your choice of internet provider's media is not what's important in your situation. It's whether you use encrypted sites over that media.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

schroeder♦schroeder

87.2k3535 gold badges195195 silver badges234234 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

schroeder♦schroeder

87.2k3535 gold badges195195 silver badges234234 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

schroeder♦schroeder

87.2k3535 gold badges195195 silver badges234234 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

schroeder♦schroeder

87.2k3535 gold badges195195 silver badges234234 bronze badges

0

The physical support you use to transport the information doesn't make it more or less secure. Communications nowadays are all encrypted using protocols such as TLS. This means that the information cannot be read by anyone else than the receiver. You might want to read a little about Encryption.

Now while these protocols exists, it doesn't mean that everyone use them. While handling sensitive data, you have to verify yourself that they do. If you have doubts, you can probably contact your service providers for more information.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SimonSimon

40811 gold badge33 silver badges88 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Right. So if you are making a purchase on Amazon. And your computer is kept up to date and you run good firewall, etc. There shouldn't be an issue of someone snagging your data. The issue comes in if you are accessing a site that isn't properly secured, then your data could be vulnerable... That was always how I thought about it...
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  This is true when talking about communications only. There is many other risks, for example phishing or storage of the information. Your wife isn't wrong to be worried about online transactions. I'd say there is a minimum of research and knowledge to have to do sensitive things on the internet.
  
  – Simon
  7 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Concern is good. I don't mind the question. But conflating different things together makes it hard to explain why something is more or less safe. She hears horror stories of phones getting hacked, etc. I tell her that "usually" this requires a series of mistakes. Most of these hacks are from using a fake hotspot in public. WE NEVER USE PUBLIC WIFI, because of this very thing. We only use internet that we feel we can trust.
  
  – Ben Bates
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment
 | 

0

The physical support you use to transport the information doesn't make it more or less secure. Communications nowadays are all encrypted using protocols such as TLS. This means that the information cannot be read by anyone else than the receiver. You might want to read a little about Encryption.

Now while these protocols exists, it doesn't mean that everyone use them. While handling sensitive data, you have to verify yourself that they do. If you have doubts, you can probably contact your service providers for more information.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SimonSimon

40811 gold badge33 silver badges88 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Right. So if you are making a purchase on Amazon. And your computer is kept up to date and you run good firewall, etc. There shouldn't be an issue of someone snagging your data. The issue comes in if you are accessing a site that isn't properly secured, then your data could be vulnerable... That was always how I thought about it...
  
  – Ben Bates
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  This is true when talking about communications only. There is many other risks, for example phishing or storage of the information. Your wife isn't wrong to be worried about online transactions. I'd say there is a minimum of research and knowledge to have to do sensitive things on the internet.
  
  – Simon
  7 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Concern is good. I don't mind the question. But conflating different things together makes it hard to explain why something is more or less safe. She hears horror stories of phones getting hacked, etc. I tell her that "usually" this requires a series of mistakes. Most of these hacks are from using a fake hotspot in public. WE NEVER USE PUBLIC WIFI, because of this very thing. We only use internet that we feel we can trust.
  
  – Ben Bates
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment
 | 

The physical support you use to transport the information doesn't make it more or less secure. Communications nowadays are all encrypted using protocols such as TLS. This means that the information cannot be read by anyone else than the receiver. You might want to read a little about Encryption.

Now while these protocols exists, it doesn't mean that everyone use them. While handling sensitive data, you have to verify yourself that they do. If you have doubts, you can probably contact your service providers for more information.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SimonSimon

40811 gold badge33 silver badges88 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SimonSimon

40811 gold badge33 silver badges88 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

SimonSimon

40811 gold badge33 silver badges88 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

SimonSimon

40811 gold badge33 silver badges88 bronze badges