ESA fights against cybercriminals: space protection becomes a turnaround!

ESA fights against cybercriminals: space protection becomes a turnaround!

The European space authority ESA has set itself the goal of better protecting its critical infrastructure from cyber attacks. According to the ESA director for operational operation, Rolf Densing, the competition against cybercriminals resembles a race. In order to counter this threat, a new center for cyber security was presented in the ESA control center in Darmstadt, which should ensure the protection of 28 satellites, the associated ground stations and control systems. Densing points out that there is a risk that unauthorized people could take control of these satellites. The development of the Cyber ​​Security Operations Center in Darmstadt and Belgium has been running for five years and will probably cost a total of around 26 million euros by the end of 2026.

The relevance of the space travel infrastructure is becoming increasingly clear because it is indispensable for the European economy and society. Cyber ​​attacks on satellites can not only endanger critical services such as communication and banking, but also affect companies, energy networks, financial markets and supply chains that are dependent on such space -based services. As ESA emphasizes, it is crucial to protect these systems from malicious attacks because they can be the goal of various threats. These range from state -supported actors to terrorist groups that use satellite disorders or malware.

strategic security measures

The ESA has continuously strengthened its cybersecurity strategy in order to counter the challenges of modern threats. This includes robust security risk management for all activities and a comprehensive security guideline that includes specific agreements with Member States and the EU. At a time when cyber attacks increase on space infrastructures, it is essential to develop a "multi-platform" resilience system. This enables security functions and skills to be shared.

ESA's activity locations are strategically distributed to ensure cyber security more effectively. This includes Redu in Belgium for protection in space, Frascati in Italy for forensic analyzes and Darmstadt in Germany to monitor room missions. Massimo Mercati, head of the ESA security office, emphasizes the need to protect space from cyber attacks, since its strategic importance for Europe will only increase.

global threats and current developments

The military importance of space has increased in recent years, especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has also led to attacks on communication satellites. These cyber attacks make the vulnerability of the space infrastructure clear and underline the need for international cooperation to improve cyber security. States such as China, India, Russia and the United States have already demonstrated antisatellite weapons (Asat), while cyber operations represent a cheaper and less serious option to carry out satellite attacks.

Internationalization and the increase in private actors in the space sector also increase the complexity of IT security risks. The ESA has to face these challenges because many satellites use outdated software and safety protocols that are vulnerable. A loss of space infrastructures could have fatal effects on Germany and other European countries, since they are considered a "single point of failure" with high damage potential.

In this context, cybersecurity strategies are also developed in Germany and the EU, whereby the Federal Office of Security in Information Technology (BSI) is planning minimum requirements for space cyber security. According to experts, reference to international standards for cyber behavior in space is essential to meet the challenges of today and to ensure security for future generations.

For further information on the measures of the ESA and the challenges of cyber security in space, visit the links of the Tagesspiegel href = "https://www.esa.int/about_us/cyber_resilience_at_esa/how_ensures_cybersecurity_in_space"> esa href = "https://www.swp-berlin.org/10.18449/2023a04/"> swp .