Ransomware exploits value. Attackers put victims against a decision to pay for the hope of the return of their system or lose it. For victims, it is hard to justify not paying even though it sets a harmful precedent. At heart, this is an economics question that cyber professionals find it difficult to answer on Earth. In space, the steep initial investments, slow times to market and operational costs of satellites and in-orbit infrastructure make the payment of a future ransomware attack against a satellite nearly assured.

Global #communication #infrastructure is at the center of a geopolitical battle as nations and corporations strategize for security and control over #underseacables, #satellite networks, and #internet access. With privately owned systems like #Starlink and OneWeb revolutionizing connectivity, security risks, ownership disputes, and the potential for strategic manipulation are key issues in a hyperconnected world.

Building space policy is hard enough. It’s harder when trying to make a future-focused policy decision based on abstract concepts. That’s really the problem with the space critical infrastructure conversation, isn’t it? When we talk about space services, we look at what we know, which is low Earth orbit (LEO), and services provided from LEO assets to Earth. We talk considerably less about cislunar travel or interplanetary travel even though there are plans for both in the less than distant future. The difference is that one is real today and one is abstract.

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The concept of further advancement in cislunar space has been a topic of discussion for some time—and it only continues to gain momentum. A year-old paper by Col. Charles S. Galbreath, USSF (Ret.) argued for United States military presence in the cislunar environment, citing international rivalry as the “new race to the Moon.”

Identification of disinformation threats must be integrated into space incident response and cybersecurity frameworks.

The utility of space-based services and information is beyond reproach, as reflected in the increasing demand for space services on the part of Earthlings. So great is the demand that space systems are being (or already have been) integrated into all manner of Earthly functions, from driving directions to military operations. Few of those familiar with the space economy would doubt how increasingly critical it is to our life on terra firma.

The question “are we alone?” has never been fully answered. With each image and data set arriving back from Hubble and James Webb the frivolous, Sci-Fi cultural expression of alien life is less frivolous. There is an anxiety about our place in the Universe and it impacts our human community in many ways.

Taking the Highest High Ground: Strategic Prepositioning of Counter Space Weapons and Impacts to Critical Infrastructure

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If you listened closely, you could hear the collective groans of the commercial space community echo through space and time on April 30, 2024. This is the infamous day that the new federal government policy on critical infrastructure (National Security Memorandum 22) was released with nary a mention of space or satellites.

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Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space ISAC) is pleased to announce the successful execution of a dynamic Tabletop Exercise named “Saving Selene: Walking on the Moon” during the 2024 CYSAT conference in Paris, marking a significant milestone in proactive space security initiatives.

Binary debates can make complex issues feel simple by papering over the real nuances that contribute to their richness. As space programs expand and major missions such as sustained presence are becoming a reality, debating whether space should be designated as terrestrial critical infrastructure is en vogue in space policy and industry circles.

Many in the United States are just beginning to fully understand the role services from space-based assets play in their everyday lives. These services do not simply impact individuals but businesses, militaries, critical infrastructure, and more. As more satellites are placed in orbit, and the cost per kilogram for space launches falls, experts and novices alike are increasingly engaging in calls to designate space as critical infrastructure.

Homeland security has not traditionally been thought of as a mission area supporting space activities. Homeland security organizations, however, have been long time consumers of space data and services. Today, the space domain has opened for commercial activity and geopolitical competition alike.

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“While America continues to grow its commercial space opportunities, our adversaries will also seek to disrupt the advantages the space economy will bring,” the document states. “The Department must therefore support America’s expanding space ecosystem by recognizing its importance to the security of the homeland and through a DHS Space Policy that defines and updates DHS’s role in this important domain.”