New Zealand spooks say satellite snooping is obsolete – better intel is found elsewhere

New Zealand's Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) – the nation's signals intelligence and infosec agency – will retire its Waihopai satellite communications interception station because it's no longer needed. "The nature of telecommunications has changed, and other needs and capabilities have overtaken the sort of …

[Pangasinan Philippines]

Footprint

Modern satellites have such tightly defined footprints, that you really need to be near your target.

The further away you are requires such huge antenna with no guarantee of reception.

NZ is a tad out of the way.

[Ken G]

Re: Footprint

Better encryption too.

[A Non e-mouse]

Better sources

Facebook, Twitter & Google are probably better sources of data.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Better sources

I'm sure the replacement solution accesses all of those.

[Anonymous Coward]

Spy Valley

Spy Valley Wines may be regretting their choice of name. Or perhaps they just add the prefix -. --- to the existing morse code on the bottle.

[Yes Me]

Re: Spy Valley

As far as I can tell, NZ has decided to remove the balls that gave it standing in 5 Eyes.

[Graham Cobb]

Aha! Just what I was waiting for

Now I can start up my retro-anarchy analog satellite repeater cell without the risk those pesky Kiwis will steal my dastardly plans.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Aha! Just what I was waiting for

Oops... maybe my last post should have been AC...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Aha! Just what I was waiting for

Just make sure you don't use morse code. The NSA already has a front operation monitoring it 24/7 for subversive activities.

[ricardian]

Re: Aha! Just what I was waiting for

That link gives this interesting message:

If you try to run this site in Internet Explorer 8, you may need to try to turn on the compatibility view mode.

---------

Some users have reported problems with Internet Explorer when viewing this site. We have not been able to reproduce the problem in tests with Internet Explorer 7. Firefox and Chrome run with the site with no apparent problems.

[batfink]

Re: Aha! Just what I was waiting for

Try some of the other tabs...

[phuzz]

Re: Aha! Just what I was waiting for

I remember reading a story a few years back about truckers in South America using mostly-defunct analogue satellites with home-made transceivers, as free, long-range, CB radio.

(ETA: here it is)

[Pascal Monett]

"More modern methods collect more targeted communications"

Translation : mobile phones and all that Internet access have given world governments the ability to tap into seas of data, whereas satellites are still looking with a magnifying glass.

[Clausewitz 4.0]

Re: "More modern methods collect more targeted communications"

With so many underwater cables and internet backbones tapped, the problem today is sort out junk from good intel. And storage for all that was collected.

Imagine - that funny cat picture collected 2 weeks ago and discarded? Was a plot to hit Pentagon headquarters, with instructions hidden in crypto + steganography.

Of course, street teams tapping specific fiber for high-value targets will still be applied for a looooong time. Word.

[W.S.Gosset]

(I used to be certain of the figure)

Fun Fact :

The entire internet up until 1995 could be kept on a {1.5?}gb disk.

As in, every single bit of internet traffic ever; it's entire history.

[EvilDrSmith]

Re: (I used to be certain of the figure)

Wasn't that what Moss gave Gen?

[Tempest]

Now, If New Zealand Only Had Ocean Cables Passing Across It's Shores . . .

like Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore do, the UK spies might be more interested.

For more detailed information on this hardship post check out: “Secret Power: New Zealand’s Role In The International Spy Network” by Nicky Hage; https://theintercept.com/2015/03/07/new-zealand-ironsand-waihopai-nsa-gcsb/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicky_Hager.

The USA even has a base at Christchurch Airport.

[Beeblebrox]

Re: Now, If New Zealand Only Had Ocean Cables Passing Across It's Shores . . .

Interesting viewpont; not sure how ocean cables might affect this satellite monitoring station: presumably other activities vis a vis cables would continue unabated at this site.