The rapid innovation and growth in the space industry has brought exciting new capabilities, but it also exposes new cyber risks that demand robust security measures. As critical infrastructure increasingly relies on space-based assets, ensuring their cybersecurity resilience is paramount for national and economic security.

The U.S. government’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released a comprehensive report outlining recommendations for space system operators to improve their cyber defenses. Here are some key highlights:

Understanding Unique Space System Risks While space systems face many similar cyber threats as terrestrial systems, they also have unique risk factors that require specialized mitigation approaches:

• High costs and deployment timelines mean slower pace for updating cybersecurity
• Long system lifespans with limited upgrade options once in orbit
• Reliance on wireless communications vulnerable to jamming/spoofing
• Proliferation of commercial off-the-shelf components with limited built-in security

Employing a Comprehensive Risk Management Approach To effectively manage these risks, CISA recommends space operators leverage the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) to develop robust cybersecurity framework profiles tailored to their specific systems and risk tolerances. Key risk mitigation practices include:

• Implementing protections across system design, operations, and maintenance
• Adhering to defense-in-depth principles and network segmentation
• Emphasizing strong supply chain risk management programs
• Employing encryption, technical monitoring capabilities, and protective hardware
• Developing and enforcing rigorous security governance policies

Securing All System Segments The report provides detailed guidance on securing each primary segment of space systems – space, ground, uplink/downlink, and user segments. Critical measures span access controls, malware prevention, jamming/spoofing protection, and more.

As space-based capabilities become increasingly vital across military, economic, and civilian sectors, implementing these cybersecurity best practices is essential for ensuring the reliability and resilience of space systems against rapidly evolving cyber threats.

By staying proactive and adopting a comprehensive, framework-based approach to cybersecurity, space operators can safeguard their assets and the critical services they provide. Engage cybersecurity expertise and leverage authoritative resources like CISA’s report to reduce risks.