Space: The Final Frontier for Cyberattacks

The article covers a 95-page NSF-funded Cal Poly study that presents ICARUS, a matrix-based taxonomy to imagine and anticipate cyberattacks unique to outer space. It describes 42 sample scenarios (e.g., hijacked CubeSats, spoofed satellite data, denial-of-service against lunar infrastructure), identifies drivers that increase risk—rapid satellite proliferation, legacy unsecured hardware, technological complexity, supply-chain opacity, and legal ambiguity—and calls for expanded research, cross-disciplinary engagement, and improved space-cybersecurity planning and awareness.