The White House’s top cyber czar said Thursday that U.S. adversaries – China foremost among them – are continuing to consistently focus targeting on satellites in space.
“Satellite attacks in the cyber domain are the first choice with the lowest barrier to entry,” National Cyber Director (NCD) Harry Coker said during the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee’s (NSTAC) monthly meeting on May 23.
“The capabilities and intent of our adversaries shows us the urgency of the challenge that our space systems are, and will continue to face,” Coker said.
He also noted that satellites have “engineering challenges, logistical concerns, and bandwidth issues.”
“There are also lifecycle issues, as space systems are often designed to last for eight to 10 years – and routinely outlive their predicted lifespans – which means that they may not be protected against evolving threats by design,” he said.
“Designing secure systems for space is inherently difficult,” the NCD said. “And the consequences are ever increasing, as the space economy continues to grow at a breakneck pace.”
Coker noted that the White House convened a Space Systems Cybersecurity Executive Forum with government and industry partners to discuss the risk landscape last year. They also held five workshops across the country to learn about the barriers that space companies are facing day-to-day when it comes to cybersecurity.
The NCD said they heard “repeatedly” that requirements from Federal mission owners varied significantly from agency to agency – or even within agencies, from contract to contract.
“Armed with a better understanding of the policy gaps, we are now ensuring that the Federal government is leading the way in improving space system cybersecurity,” Coker said.
In December, Vice President Harris tasked the creation of minimum cybersecurity requirements for Federal space systems.
“These requirements will form the basis of controls needed to combat the evolving threat to space systems – and make it easier for companies supporting our space missions,” Coker said. “They will lay the groundwork for future work that ensures the commercial space sector – which is increasingly vital for critical infrastructure of all types – is adequately protected.”
