Technology has an exponential growth that has made our daily life highly dependent on high-functioning IoT devices, mobile phones, and so on. The evolution of smart devices is devoted to space assets like satellites. The mobile network, GPS, internet communication even electric power grids are relying upon satellites. Hence, a cyberattack on satellites shouldn’t be too surprising.
Satellite is a part of the comprehensive cyber ecosystem as it stimulates global communication. It emphasizes the network-based communication system and data transmission facilitating very small-aperture terminal (VSAT) networks for various services to broadcasters, Internet service providers (ISPs), governments, the military, and other sectors. Various arrangements, such as communications, air transport, maritime trade, financial services, weather monitoring, and defense have direct data links to the national, regional as well as international level. Since the dependency is huge, the risks and vulnerabilities of a cyberattack on satellites are bigger.
CyberAttack on Satellites
Satellites transmit various important data that can be valuable for a certain group. Cybercriminals are becoming trained and bold to invade the space systems and infrastructure across a range of potential attack surfaces. The IT department of NASA reported over 5,408 cyberattacks between 2010 and 2011. The attackers gain access to manipulate or destroy basic controls and the authority may have to compromise the centralized databases. The most significant weakness in the satellite that can be exploited in a cyberattack on satellites is that it uses long-range telemetry for communicating the ground stations and the uplinks and downlinks are often transmitted and can be easily accessed.
Cyber-threats can launch a cyberattack on satellites and another space systems in three technological and operational segments; ground segment, space segment, and link segment. These segments are usually responsible for different functional activities, such as malware, payload control, DoS, eavesdropping, hijacking, etc.
Satellites use signal to gain access to the downstream systems connected to the satellite. It requires securing all the entry points with high-functioning cybersecurity measures to ensure top-notch protection against harmful cyber invasion from the system-level. Flexxon introduces the world’s first standalone X-PHY® AI Cyber Secure Solution to enhance better usability as the last line of cyber defense. It can be
Benefits of X-PHY® AI Cyber Secure Solution
The X-PHY® AI Cyber Secure Solution is incorporated with embedded AI technology optimized for dense applications like satellites. It has a built-in AI Co-Processor Quantum Engine that concurrently monitors and defenses transferred data. The high-functioning self-learning attribute prohibits the gateway of cyber-threats enabling firmware protection. Integrated threat detection feature along with hardware sensors detect anomalies in data access patterns.
The X-PHY® works as a shield for the threats. It authorizes continual vigilance for all the actions throughout the device as it never trusts anyone. The satellite system will be protected with the following benefits of X-PHY®:
Ground Segment Protection: Satellites are vulnerable to command intrusions. Data arriving from the payload and delivered to the users. The hackers can interrupt the satellite and affect with malware and Trojan even hostile access can execute DoS attack and take control over the ICS. The AI-based Security Engine along with Keycode Encryption, Signalock, and Anti-Virus Warden feature of the X-PHY® ensure protection from certain threats.
Space Segment Protection: The space segment vulnerabilities derive from ground stations to the network components where the attackers can infiltrate the network and domain. It can be MitM or a zero-day attack. Sometimes ransomware is placed into the satellite hardware and creates high-security risk. The X-PHY® is featured Security Scout, Guardian Pro-X, and Anti-Virus Warden paired with AI-Based Security Engine, Rooted Firmware Protected Engine, and Power Shield for protection.
Link Segment Protection: The signal transmissions are the basics of the link segment. The most common threats are GPS jamming, eavesdropping, spoofing, or hijacking. Jamming is done by overpowering a signal, a receiver, or the transmitted data; eavesdropping by encrypting the data on satellite transmission, and hijacks by seizes the broadcast data for spoofing to harm authenticity. The X-PHY® enables Layerlock+, Signalock, Keycode Pro-X, and Keycode Encryption as well as Secure Connectivity and Rooted Firmware Protected Engine to ensure the highest level of protection against malicious actors.
Successful Satellite Operations with the X-PHY®
Satellite poses unique cyber-threat challenges due to its different appeal as targets. The operations are led by technologies that are placed on space orbiting around the earth with a large number of entry points for being hacked. Patch the gaps through which the hackers can pass, exploit the satellites, and use them as a weapon by utilizing AI-enabled cybersecurity attribute into the system. Ensure the highest reliability and integrity of the space system with the X-PHY® AI Cyber Secure Solution.
