The Security of Space: Hackers Target SpaceX’s latest Satellite in DEF CON

SpaceX and NASA Launch Satellite for DEF CON Hack-A-Sat Contest

On June 5th, 2023, SpaceX and NASA launched a satellite into low-earth orbit for the purpose of testing its security against hacking attempts during the annual DEF CON hacking conference to take place later this year. Dubbed the “Moonlighter,” it was one of several small cube-shaped satellites that were a part of a resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Moonlighter will be used to gain a better understanding of cyber operations in space and vulnerabilities in satellite systems for cybersecurity improvement. The Aerospace Corporation, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the U.S. Space Systems Command collaborated on the project to create the latest iteration of the Hack-A-Sat competition.

Importance of Space System Cybersecurity

The space industry and the Biden administration have recently increased their focus on the security of space systems. There are growing concerns about new commercial off-the-shelf products that could have potential vulnerabilities, raising the need for technical standards that will better secure commercial products by design. Cyberattacks against space systems may not be common, but experts are worried about the potential consequences of an attack. Recent events such as the Russian invasion have shown how a cyber attack targeting a satellite modem not only had an impact on Ukrainian command and control, but also created cascading impacts that spread across Europe to thousands of German wind farms and satellite connections. The Moonlighter project will focus on discovering how hackers target space networks and how space systems are affected in a real-world environment.

Challenges of Cybersecurity in Space Systems

The Moonlighter is only the beginning of cybersecurity research in space. Space systems represent a challenging task when it comes to cybersecurity. While it is easy to understand the physical risks associated with space, which include harsh radiation levels, there are cybersecurity challenges that experts are beginning to address just now. Simulating cyberattacks in a real-world environment will be helpful, but it won’t answer every question about how satellites could be affected in an attack outside the test environment.

Satellites spend most of their time disconnected from an operation center and are fairly automated. They may perform specific tasks at particular periods of time, and operators may not have full knowledge of what is impacting these space systems which adds additional layers of complexity. Researchers will map the hacking data obtained from the Moonlighter to a space-centric attack framework called SPARTA, which will provide more insights about vulnerabilities and cybersecurity in space systems.

Conclusion

The Hack-A-Sat competition at DEF CON will for the first-time test cybersecurity measures in space. The Moonlighter is a part of a larger mission to discover how satellites operate and behave in challenging cyber environments. Cybersecurity is essential for critical infrastructure such as space systems, and we need to understand the vulnerabilities and how best to address them. As the Moonlighter project notes, we cannot just flip a switch or change a hard drive in a remote, space environment. We need to develop a better understanding of protecting space systems from cyberattacks, and the Moonlighter represents an important step in that direction.

Advice:

Space cybersecurity is still a new field, but it represents an important development in the protection of critical infrastructure. To be better protected, companies and organizations must work together with researchers to better understand the challenges and vulnerabilities in space systems. The Moonlighter project and Hack-A-Sat competition at DEF CON provide an opportunity to test cybersecurity measures in space and provide valuable insights that can be used for real-world improvements. By engaging in these projects, we can collaborate and learn from experts in the field to improve the security of space systems and protect critical infrastructure.