Cyber attacks on Satellites targeting satellites in space are on the rise. As a result, to ensure the safety of satellites, the US space research agency NASA sometimes has to get quite fast. To solve this problem, the country’s military has undertaken a new project to prevent cyber attacks on US military and civilian satellites.They will protect various military and civilian satellites from hackers under the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR) project. This initiative is to play an effective role against the growing threat of cyber attacks in space.
Cyber attacks on critical satellites in space as well as other space infrastructure are also increasing. Intelligence satellites or military communication satellites of different countries have also become a cause of danger. As part of this, the US military has taken initiatives to prevent cyber attacks on satellites.
In the past few years, the capacity of various private organizations in space missions has increased. The United States military wants to use the capabilities of the institutions to increase their strength. And so they want to use the satellites and parts of different organizations in their space operations to increase their capabilities.
Incidentally, in 2022, cybercriminals carried out a major cyber attack on a civilian satellite named ‘KA-SAT’. Apart from this, the use of antisatellite weapons is also increasing. Keeping these issues in mind, the US military has launched this new defense project.
Source: Prothom Alo
Types of Cyber Attacks on Satellites
Signal Interception: Attackers can intercept signals between satellites and ground stations, allowing them to eavesdrop on communications or disrupt data transmission.
Spoofing: This tactic involves sending false signals to mislead satellite systems. For example, GPS spoofing tricks devices into believing they are in a different location, potentially causing navigational errors.
Denial of Service (DoS): Cyber attackers can overwhelm satellite communication systems with excessive requests, disrupting services and preventing legitimate users from accessing the system.
Hacking Ground Stations: Ground stations that control satellites may be vulnerable to cyber attacks. If attackers gain access to these systems, they could take control of the satellite itself.
Satellite Malware: Like other computer systems, satellites can become infected with malware. This infection could disrupt operations or allow attackers to manipulate satellite functions.
Exploiting Software Vulnerabilities: Satellites often operate on outdated software that may contain vulnerabilities. Attackers can exploit these weaknesses to gain unauthorized access or control.