Cyber-Physical Attack Using High Power RF in Havana, Cuba

Abstract

Abstract: Global communications have relied heavily on fiber-optic cables. Satellite communications have become the norm for areas that are not highly populated or easily reached by conventional wires. The availability and use of satellite communications systems have had a limited market; with this limitation, the need for open development of each vendor's software never gained traction. This led to weaknesses not being discovered until a flaw was made public in a systems breach that affected the end users. Wireless communications that rely on microwaves lead to the use of malware to provide an override to normal operations of the equipment. As the issue of Stuxnet would allow for the override of the safety settings of satellite terminals, the malware could even be deployed remotely through a system update. The weaponization of such systems is now a point of concern. Previous studies have shown that naval satellite communications systems can be a weapon by removing the software power limitations McKay, R. W 2021 [15]. As satellite systems on ships can be larger due to being fixed, transmission power generation may be more significant. This study considers the land-based mobile systems deployed against any target and quickly dismantled and removed. Can land-based mobile satellite communication systems affected by Stuxnet or manually altered yield the same power output, and at what range will it affect human tissue? This is believed to be the case with the ongoing investigation. The survey results showed that mobile equipment could be dangerous to human tissue at distances easily achieved by mobile terminals, especially if the target is a fixed location like a building with large glass windows that R.F. power can penetrate easily