Space Hackers

Security expert warns of the dangers of cybercriminals targeting our satellite systems due to the lack of security in the aerospace industry.

18:11 17 December 2015

A leading security expert, Raj Samani, has warned of the dangers of cybercriminals attempting to hack satellites orbiting the planet.

 

The chief technical officer of Intel Security for Europe, the Middle East and Africa said that the lack of security in the aerospace industry may place satellite systems at risk.

 

“The proliferation of satellites, used to support our everyday connectivity and communications, makes this a growing attack vector," Samani said.

 

"Indeed we have seen multiple examples of vulnerabilities within satellite networks, and this being exploited for criminal gain.”

 

“Our reliance on low-orbiting satellites to support our telecommunications infrastructure have been shown to be vulnerable to eavesdropping, and security through obscurity has been exposed as no real defence,"

 

"Such vulnerabilities are already being exploited with criminal groups leveraging commercial satellite communications to hide their command and control infrastructure which is of course achievable as the level of security deployed on compromised satellites lack the basic controls of most small businesses.”

 

Hacking a satellite is not impossible as they are just relay stations suspended a little bit higher than those on Earth.

 

Aside from government agencies, giant technology firms such as Google and Facebook are also getting involved in the satellite game to help spread internet signal to remote parts of the planet.