Via Satellite archive photo

The threat level risk to the satellite industry remains high. This is the key takeaway from a new threat level assessment from the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space ISAC), which looks to raise awareness of the space industry, government, and international partner perspectives on the current threat level. Space ISAC made an update in its threat level assessment via a TLP: CLEAR public release, July 2. The threat level is at Level 3 which is classed as ‘high’.

Space ISAC says the space threat landscape remains active, characterized by disruptive cyber activity and electronic warfare (EW). These factors are accentuated by geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East, and reporting from government agencies and commercial firms reaffirm this sentiment and warn that low-level attacks may soon rise to sophisticated attacks. Additionally, the heightened frequency and impact of GNSS interference, jamming, and spoofing, Space ISAC says, continues to pose concerns to satellite operators, reflecting a robust threat environment.

It says there has been increased targeting of space assets where cyber actors have shown a recent increase in attacks targeting organizations operating within space and related sectors in line with geopolitical conflicts. Secondly, it talks of an increased proliferation of hacktivism and geopolitically motivated attacks. It says global conflicts are influencing new and existing threat groups to target organizations with a proximity to national security, including government, defense, and space. Thirdly, it says threat groups are implementing as-a-service toolkits and other social engineering tactics to bypass firewalls, content filters, and human detection of threats.

Space ISAC issued a number of recommendations to members including to evaluate account and credential access and implement routine scans for malicious network traffic.

Space ISAC’s latest decision about the threat level to space players was informed by input from the ISAC’s members including those from commercial, international, defense, intelligence community, and collective intelligence sectors.