The article highlights critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities in NASA’s **Artemis program**, particularly in the next-generation spacesuits and onboard systems of crewed spacecraft. The lack of cybersecurity specifications in spacesuit design proposals exposes missions to severe risks, including **malware or ransomware attacks** that could compromise life-support systems (e.g., air filters), steal proprietary/national secrets, or manipulate safety-critical operations. The integrated nature of spacecraft systems—where internal networks trust each other implicitly—amplifies threats, as malicious actors (crew, tourists, or external hackers) could exploit weak authentication to gain full control. Unlike terrestrial IT threats, space-based attacks could escalate to **life-or-death consequences** due to the unforgiving environment. The absence of modern safeguards like **zero-trust protocols** or ethical hacking frameworks further exacerbates risks, with potential for **catastrophic system failures** during missions. Experts warn that outdated 'security by obscurity' approaches are insufficient against evolving threats, including **ransomware-driven sabotage** or targeted attacks on crew safety.
Source: https://spectrum.ieee.org/cybersecurity-in-space
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/nasa
"id": "nas2215122102825",
"linkid": "nasa",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "7/1996",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "7",
"explanation": "Attack that could injure or kill people"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Aerospace/Defense',
'location': 'United States',
'name': 'NASA',
'size': 'Large',
'type': 'Government Space Agency'},
{'industry': 'Space Exploration',
'location': 'International (led by U.S.)',
'name': 'Artemis Program',
'type': 'Spaceflight Mission'},
{'industry': 'Aerospace/Defense',
'location': 'China',
'name': 'China National Space Administration (CNSA)',
'size': 'Large',
'type': 'Government Space Agency'},
{'industry': 'Space Exploration',
'location': 'Low Earth Orbit (China-led)',
'name': 'Tiangong Space Station',
'type': 'Space Station'},
{'customers_affected': 'Potential space tourists',
'industry': 'Space Tourism',
'location': 'Global',
'name': 'Commercial Space Tourism Companies',
'size': 'Varies (Startups to Large)',
'type': 'Private Sector'}],
'attack_vector': ['Proximity-based malware/ransomware installation via crew '
'members',
'Exploitation of trusted internal spacecraft networks (lack '
'of zero-trust)',
"Compromised crew devices (e.g., space tourists' digital "
'equipment)',
'Sabotage of safety-critical systems (e.g., air filters, '
'life support)',
'Theft of proprietary/national secrets via insider threats'],
'customer_advisories': ['Future Artemis crew members',
'Space tourists',
'Astronauts on Tiangong Space Station',
'Commercial spaceflight passengers'],
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': ['Hypothetical: Via compromised crew '
'devices or internal networks'],
'personally_identifiable_information': ['Hypothetical: '
'Crew/Passenger PII'],
'sensitivity_of_data': ['High (national security, crew '
'safety)'],
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Hypothetical: Proprietary '
'spacecraft data',
'Crew personal information',
'Mission operational data']},
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2023-03-00',
'description': 'A research paper presented at the 2023 IEEE Aerospace '
'Conference highlights critical cybersecurity gaps in '
'next-generation spacesuits and crewed spacecraft systems, '
"including NASA's Artemis program. The study, led by Gregory "
'Falco (Johns Hopkins), warns of risks such as '
'malware/ransomware attacks via crew members (as attackers, '
'vectors, collateral, or targets), theft of proprietary '
'secrets, and sabotage of life-support systems. The lack of '
'cybersecurity specifications in spacesuit designs and '
"outdated 'security by obscurity' approaches are key concerns. "
'Experts advocate for zero-trust protocols, ethical hacking, '
'and space-specific security paradigms to mitigate risks in '
'the high-stakes environment of human spaceflight.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': ['Erosion of public trust in space '
'agencies (e.g., NASA)',
'Negative perception of space tourism '
'safety',
'Potential investor hesitation in '
'commercial space ventures'],
'data_compromised': ['Proprietary spacecraft designs',
'National security secrets',
'Crew personal data',
'Mission-critical operational data'],
'identity_theft_risk': ['Crew personal data exposure'],
'legal_liabilities': ['Violations of emerging space cybersecurity '
'regulations',
'Liability for crew endangerment or '
'fatalities',
'International disputes over state-sponsored '
'attacks'],
'operational_impact': ['Potential mission failure or abort',
'Loss of crew trust in systems',
'Delayed spaceflight programs (e.g., '
'Artemis)',
'Increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies',
'Need for emergency protocol overhauls'],
'systems_affected': ['Next-generation spacesuits (Artemis program)',
'Life-support systems (e.g., air filters)',
'Onboard computer networks',
'Communication links',
'Safety-critical operational systems']},
'initial_access_broker': {'backdoors_established': ['Hypothetical: Persistent '
'access via spacesuit or '
'life-support systems'],
'data_sold_on_dark_web': ['Hypothetical: Spacesuit '
'designs, mission plans'],
'entry_point': ['Compromised crew/passenger devices',
'Trusted internal networks (lack of '
'access controls)',
'Physical proximity exploits (e.g., '
'USB drives, maintenance ports)'],
'high_value_targets': ['Mission-critical '
'operational data',
'Life-support system '
'controls',
'Propulsion/navigation '
'systems',
'Crew communication '
'channels']},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing Research/Advocacy (No active incident; '
'theoretical analysis)',
'lessons_learned': ["'Security by obscurity' is insufficient for modern "
'spacecraft',
'Crew members (including tourists) can be attack vectors',
'Zero-trust models are critical for life-support systems',
'Space cybersecurity requires bespoke solutions (not '
'terrestrial copy-paste)',
'Ethical hacking and red-teaming are underutilized in '
'aerospace',
'Policy gaps exist at national and international levels'],
'motivation': ['Espionage (theft of proprietary/national secrets)',
'Financial gain (ransomware)',
'Sabotage (disrupting missions or endangering crew)',
'Geopolitical advantage in space race',
'Proof-of-concept attacks (e.g., ethical hackers exposing '
'flaws)'],
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': ['Update NASA/CNSA '
'cybersecurity policies for '
'crewed missions',
'Integrate zero-trust and '
'segmentation into '
'spacecraft architecture',
'Fund R&D for '
'space-specific security '
'solutions',
'Establish legal frameworks '
'for ethical hacking in '
'aerospace',
"Develop 'space TSA' "
'protocols for passenger '
'device screening',
'Enhance crew training on '
'cyber threats',
'Create international norms '
'for space cybersecurity '
'(via UN or bilateral '
'agreements)'],
'root_causes': ['Lack of cybersecurity '
'requirements in procurement '
'(e.g., Artemis spacesuits)',
"Over-reliance on 'security by "
"obscurity'",
'Absence of zero-trust models in '
'spacecraft design',
'No standardized cybersecurity '
'frameworks for space systems',
'Insufficient red-teaming/ethical '
'hacking in aerospace',
'Policy gaps at '
'national/international levels']},
'ransomware': {'data_encryption': ['Hypothetical: Safety-critical systems'],
'data_exfiltration': ['Hypothetical: For double-extortion '
'attacks']},
'recommendations': ['Mandate cybersecurity specifications in '
'spacesuit/spacecraft RFPs',
'Adopt zero-trust architecture for all onboard systems',
'Implement segmentation between critical and non-critical '
'operations',
"Establish a 'space TSA' to scan passenger devices for "
'malware',
'Develop space-specific cybersecurity standards (e.g., '
'via IEEE, ISO)',
'Foster ethical hacking programs with legal protections '
'for researchers',
'Create national legislation for space cybersecurity '
'(U.S., China, etc.)',
'Enhance international dialogue on space cyber threats',
'Invest in R&D for novel security paradigms (e.g., '
'AI-driven anomaly detection)',
'Prioritize crew training on cyber hygiene and insider '
'threat awareness'],
'references': [{'date_accessed': '2023-03-00',
'source': 'IEEE Aerospace Conference 2023 Paper'},
{'date_accessed': '2023-07-00',
'source': 'IEEE Journal Watch (Partnership with IEEE Xplore)'},
{'source': '2019 IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Review '
'Paper (Satellite Cybersecurity)'},
{'source': '2021 NASA Report on Cyber Incidents'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'regulations_violated': ['Lack of compliance with '
'emerging space '
'cybersecurity standards'],
'regulatory_notifications': ['Call for new '
'national/international '
'policies (e.g., via '
'UW Space Law '
'Program)']},
'response': {'communication_strategy': ['Public disclosure via IEEE Aerospace '
'Conference paper',
'Media coverage (e.g., IEEE Journal '
'Watch)',
'Calls for national/international '
'policy changes'],
'enhanced_monitoring': ['Proposed for crewed missions'],
'network_segmentation': ['Proposed for future systems'],
'remediation_measures': ['Proposed: Zero-trust protocols for '
'spacecraft systems',
'Proposed: Segmentation of '
'safety-critical operations',
'Proposed: Malware scanning for '
'passenger devices (space TSA '
'equivalent)',
'Proposed: Ethical hacking programs to '
'identify vulnerabilities']},
'stakeholder_advisories': ['Space agencies (NASA, CNSA, ESA, etc.)',
'Commercial spaceflight companies (e.g., SpaceX, '
'Blue Origin)',
'Space tourism operators',
'National legislatures (e.g., U.S. Congress, '
"China's NPC)",
'International bodies (e.g., UN Office for Outer '
'Space Affairs)',
'Aerospace industry standards organizations (e.g., '
'IEEE, ISO)'],
'threat_actor': ['State-sponsored actors (e.g., from space-dominant nations '
'like U.S., China)',
'Space tourists with malicious intent',
'Manipulated crew members (coerced or unwitting)',
'Cybercriminals targeting ransomware opportunities',
'Insider threats (crew as attackers)'],
'title': 'Potential Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Crewed Spacecraft '
'Systems (Artemis Program and Beyond)',
'type': ['Research Warning',
'Vulnerability Disclosure',
'Theoretical Threat Analysis'],
'vulnerability_exploited': ['Absence of cybersecurity specifications in '
'Artemis spacesuit designs',
"'Security by obscurity' (bespoke systems assumed "
'secure due to complexity)',
'Full-access trust model for onboard systems',
'Lack of segmentation between safety-critical and '
'non-critical operations',
'No malware scanning for passenger devices (space '
'tourism)']}