Actually in ID4 there was an explanation. Basically all of humanity’s computer tech came from reverse engineering alien tech. So our computers worked with theirs because they were based on theirs. Maybe this isn’t this best logic, but they did at least have an in universe explanation.
By extension that means we can also reprogram alien satellites and probes. So why aren’t we??
Jeff Goldblum can upload a virus to take out an entire alien spacecraft. Probes are a piece of cake.
Jeff Goldblum is the alien.
At least in the space odyssey series they had a weird kind of explanation for that approach. Unlike in Independence Day
Actually in ID4 there was an explanation. Basically all of humanity’s computer tech came from reverse engineering alien tech. So our computers worked with theirs because they were based on theirs. Maybe this isn’t this best logic, but they did at least have an in universe explanation.