Satellite networks rely on ground stations and control links for communications and navigation, so cyber controls must protect availability and commands.
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Background for this topic.
Satellites are spacecraft used for communications, navigation and timing, Earth observation, or scientific missions, together with their ground stations, control systems and radio links. Their security depends on more than the vehicle in orbit: mission software, supply chains, telemetry and command channels, and terrestrial networks are all part of the operational system. Availability and command integrity can be safety- or mission-critical, while some payloads handle sensitive communications or location data.
Material risks include unauthorized commands after compromise of a ground system, jamming or spoofing of radio signals, and vulnerabilities in onboard or ground software. Appropriate controls include authenticated and encrypted commands, strict separation of control networks, careful key management, signed and tested updates, and monitoring for abnormal telemetry or access. Operators also need vulnerability management and rehearsed recovery plans that account for limited patching opportunities, long communication delays, and the need to preserve safe operation if links or ground facilities are unavailable.
Weekly headline count for the current query.
The online world is changing fast. Every week, new scams, hacks, and tricks show how easy it’s become to turn everyday technology into a weapon. Tools made to help us work, connect, and stay safe are now being used to steal, spy, and deceive
Cybersecurity researchers have unearthed new Android spyware artifacts that are likely affiliated with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and have been distributed to targets by masquerading as VPN apps and Starlink, a satellite internet connection service offered by SpaceX
OpenAI has revealed that it banned a set of ChatGPT accounts that were likely operated by Russian-speaking threat actors and two Chinese nation-state hacking groups to assist with malware development, social media automation, and research about U.S. satellite communications technologies, among other things
A cyber espionage group known as Earth Ammit has been linked to two related but distinct campaigns from 2023 to 2024 targeting various entities in Taiwan and South Korea, including military, satellite, heavy industry, media, technology, software services, and healthcare sectors
Threat hunters are calling attention to a new highly-targeted phishing campaign that singled out "fewer than five" entities in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) to deliver a previously undocumented Golang backdoor dubbed Sosano
Iranian nation-state actors have been conducting password spray attacks against thousands of organizations globally between February and July 2023, new findings from Microsoft reveal
The Five Eyes nations comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S., along with Ukraine and the European Union, formally pinned Russia for masterminding an attack on an international satellite communication (SATCOM) provider that had "spillover" effects across Europe