Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to speak on a panel exploring the growing cybersecurity threats to space systems.
As our reliance on satellites intensifies—across commercial, national, and defense sectors—so does the urgency to protect them.
Most Urgent Challenge?
The most pressing issue is securing satellite communication infrastructure from cyberattacks such as jamming, spoofing, and intrusions into command and control systems. These threats aren’t hypothetical—they’re escalating and directly affecting critical national infrastructure, commercial continuity, and defense readiness.
Cyber Threats & Geopolitics – Lessons from Viasat and Implications for Taiwan:
The Viasat cyberattack on the eve of the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a stark wake-up call.
Disabling tens of thousands of terminals disrupted military and civilian communications in Ukraine and across Europe—highlighting how quickly commercial space assets can become strategic targets.
Key takeaways:
-Private sector vulnerability – Commercial space operators must view their infrastructure as part of the broader security ecosystem. Compliance isn’t enough—we need proactive resilience.
– Public-Private coordination – The response to Viasat showed how essential cross-sector collaboration is for attribution and recovery. We must build on this foundation.
– Strategic preparedness for regions like Taiwan – Taiwan’s reliance on undersea cables presents an apparent vulnerability. Taiwan’s satellite infrastructure should be reinforced through layered defenses and active intelligence sharing.
Research from Indiana University suggests a path forward through polycentric governance that includes regional alliances and establishing a local Space ISAC chapter.
The intersection of cybersecurity and space is no longer theoretical—it’s mission-critical.
We are entering a new era where commercial and national interests are closely intertwined, and we must develop systems that are not only technologically advanced but also secure.
Many thanks to the CyberTech team and all the panelists!
