Pre-operational Cyber Threats to Earth Observation Satellites

David Myers (2024 September). Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

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(PDF) Cyber Security for Earth Observation Spacecraft Identifying Pre-operational Threat Vectors (image credit iStock) (researchgate.net)

Abstract

            In recent years space-based Earth observation (EO) and remote sensing has transitioned from an exclusively government agency managed endeavor to a robust commercial industry.  Over 70 companies have invested in excess of $10B to develop innovative new constellations that increase access to geospatial imagery and intelligence for government, scientific and commercial markets.

             When analyzing the rise of commercial Earth observation, there is a natural tendency to focus on the innovative technologies and end-products that they enable.  However, the more complex the system becomes and the more accessible the data is to the customer, the more likely a would-be cyber-attacker will find a vulnerability.  Understanding threat vectors and protecting against them is just as critical as the underlying technology to the long-term success of an Earth observation spacecraft system. This is particularly important even in the pre-operational development phase of the satellite, which is often overlooked as a time of vulnerability for a new space system.