Hackers in space: The growing threat of cyberattacks on space satellites

The US military made a statement New project to protect satellites and other space equipment against cyber attacks, especially at a time when conflicts between countries are on the rise. The goal is to increase cybersecurity for vehicles in North American space; The new feature will be implemented in partnership with space development companies.

The new initiative, called the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR), should provide enhanced strategic capabilities and ultimately reduce the risks of hacker attacks. In 2022, a hacker invasion disabled broadband internet on satellites using the KA-Sat service.

The goal of the new project of the US Department of Defense is to encourage companies to develop security systems that will prevent similar incidents. Lack of attention to cybersecurity in space is not new, so the US military wants to protect its systems and vehicles to prevent disruptions in different services.

In fact, a new report published by California State Polytechnic University (Cal Poly) It suggests that hacking attacks on satellites have been occurring since the 1980sA case that exposed information security issues in space occurred in July 2023, when a Russian hacker claimed to have invaded the cyber systems of INPE (National Space Research Institute).

“While general awareness of the issue is low, space-based cyberattacks are becoming an increasingly urgent issue given the vital role space-based systems play in the modern world. Public or open-source discussions on the topic typically revolve around a few general scenarios, such as satellite hacking and signal jamming or spoofing. But there are many more possibilities,” Cal Poly explains in a statement.

Types of Cyber ​​Attacks on Satellites

Due to their isolated orbits and wireless communications, satellites are exposed to certain types of threats, such as:

• Signal blocking and interruption;
• Data tampering;
• Misleading communication.

Additionally, according to experts, aggravating factors that jeopardize cybersecurity in space include processing power and bandwidth. as well as vulnerabilities in software used in satellite systems.

Cyberattacks and hackers in space

In the report, scientists claim that an attack on GPS systems in space could cause chaos on Earth. Currently, planes, boats, cars and even people use GPS tools to get better location; disruption of this service could lead to deadly situations as well as risk to the global economy.

One problem is that equipment in space cannot be easily updated, making it a more attractive target for malicious hackers. To imagine cyberattack scenarios, the researchers used the ICARUS system, which creates more than four million variables that could occur. For example, A hacker could corrupt a probe’s data so that it presents false information.

“Space is the next frontier of cybersecurity. We need to understand and anticipate space-based cyberattacks to protect ourselves from them, and imagination is at the heart of cybersecurity and the frontier.”

In the midst of a new ‘Cold War’ over space exploration, United States Space Command Commander General Stephen Whiting recently expressed his concerns about vulnerability in space.

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