The US Space Force is scrambling to respond to spiraling security risks. In a recent speech at the McAleese Defense Program Conference in Washington D.C., the Chief of Space Operations revealed that those first cyberattacks we saw from Russia at the start of its war against Ukraine shed new light on the modern risks of lax security systems. Every individual and entity face the constant risk of an attack being made against them, whether they are simply scrolling through social media in a coffee shop, or planning to scale space operations in the fight for power.
For individuals, effective cybersecurity is a little simpler. The real risk is rooted in the lack of understanding so many of us have about the risks bearing down on us - the necessity to protect ourselves with good internet hygiene, a VPN, an effective automated data removal tool, two-factor authentication and robust endpoint security.
For the US Space Force, securing space operations against some of the most powerful nations in the world is a much weightier task. In the past, cyber security has been referred to as the 'soft underbelly' of the Armed Force's space branch. There's no simple way out of the maze, but failing to find safe ground could undermine all the work the Space Force is doing to protect themselves in the future.
The Threat to Human Progress
One of the key roles the US Space Force plays is in protecting space interests like satellites, some of which are designed to warn of impending missile attacks, while others are there to keep military communications secure. In both instances, a data breach could have unprecedented effects on the nation, exposing some of the most sensitive operations to enemies, and rendering the country vulnerable to attacks.
But the US Space Force isn't just there to offer aid during times of political tension and war - it's also there to underpin scientific advancement and enable researchers to answer some of the most complex questions of the modern age. It enables international collaboration and technological progress - things we will all depend on as the years pass by. National security is an international risk.
The Response from the US Space Force
It's no secret that the US Space Force is looking to scale cybersecurity as a matter of urgency. They have requested an investment of $700 million in 2024 to ensure better protections for space operations, and have also admitted the inherent vulnerability of ground systems.
In August of 2023, for the first time ever, the US Space Force welcomed a barrage of attacks from skilled hackers in a bid to understand where their weaknesses lay. Hackers were offered $50,000 if they could be the first to breach the Space Force's defenses - an excellent example of the real benefits ethical hacking can bring, even at a national level.
New Armor for the US Space Force
A new space race has begun. Unlike the last one, this isn't a matter of uncovering the secrets of the moon and bringing the world into a new era of knowledge - it's about protecting billions of lives from the catastrophic impact that even a single security breach can have.
Powerful entities are preparing fresh armor. Both China and Russia are exploring new ways to using enemy satellites against them, and of bringing that risk not just into offices, but homes, too.
So far, 2023 has seen the US Space Force practicing much more transparency about the cybersecurity issues. It's put forth a very collaborative approach - one that will see experts from all walks of live informing their strategy going forward. Watch this space.
