Thales seizes management of ESA satellite tv for pc in first Cybersecurity Train of its sort
by Employees Writers
Paris, France (SPX) Apr 25, 2023
The European House Company (ESA) challenged cybersecurity consultants within the area trade ecosystem to disrupt the operation of the company’s OPS-SAT demonstration nanosatellite. Individuals used a wide range of moral hacking methods to take management of the system used to handle the payload’s world positioning system, perspective management system1 and onboard digicam.
Unauthorised entry to those techniques may cause critical injury to the satellite tv for pc or result in a lack of management over its mission. Thales’s offensive cybersecurity staff labored with the Group’s Data Expertise Safety Analysis Facility (ITSEF2) for this distinctive train, which demonstrates the necessity for a excessive degree of cyber resilience within the very particular working setting of area.
The Thales staff of 4 cybersecurity researchers accessed the satellite tv for pc’s onboard system, used customary entry rights to realize management of its software setting, after which exploited a number of vulnerabilities to introduce malicious code into the satellite tv for pc’s techniques.
This made it potential to compromise the information despatched again to Earth, specifically by modifying the pictures captured by the satellite tv for pc’s digicam, and to realize different targets akin to masking chosen geographic areas within the satellite tv for pc imagery whereas concealing their actions to keep away from detection by ESA. The demonstration was organised particularly for CYSAT to assist assess the potential affect of an actual cyberattack and the implications for civilian techniques.
All through the train, ESA had entry to the satellite tv for pc’s techniques to retain management and guarantee a return to regular operation.
“Thales is grateful to ESA and the CYSAT organisers for offering this distinctive alternative to show the flexibility of our consultants to establish vulnerabilities in a satellite tv for pc system. With the rising variety of navy in addition to civil functions which are reliant on satellite tv for pc techniques right this moment, the area trade must take cybersecurity into consideration at each stage within the satellite tv for pc’s life cycle, from preliminary design to techniques improvement and upkeep.
“This unprecedented train was an opportunity to lift consciousness of potential flaws and vulnerabilities in order that they are often remediated extra successfully, and to adapt present and future options to enhance the cyber resilience of satellites and area programmes generally, together with each floor segments and orbital techniques.” Pierre-Yves Jolivet, VP Cyber Options, Thales.
In a presentation on 27 April by Thales consultants and members of the ESA staff, CYSAT individuals can discover out extra in regards to the assault state of affairs used on this first demonstration of offensive cybersecurity methods, techniques and procedures.
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