Cyber Warfare in Space: Rising Threats to Infrastructure

A report from the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich reveals a dramatic rise in cyber warfare targeting space infrastructure, particularly during the recent Gaza conflict. Between January 2023 and July 2025, there were 237 cyber operations aimed at the space sector, with a notable spike during the Israel-Iran conflict in June 2025, where 72 incidents occurred in just one month.

The report, authored by Clemence Poirier, indicates that nearly all identified threat actors were pro-Palestinian groups. Despite Hamas lacking space systems, the attacks were primarily focused on organizations within the Israeli space sector, including the Israel Space Agency and Israeli defense firm Rafael, as well as international entities such as NASA.

Following Hamas's armed incursion on October 7, 2023, there were at least ten targeted attacks against various aerospace companies and organizations. The report notes that over 70 percent of the cyber attacks were denial-of-service attacks, or DDoS, which flood networks to cause crashes, thus requiring minimal technical skill.

Other types of attacks included data leaks, intrusions, and breaches, with some incidents strategically timed to coincide with significant events in the conflict. The report suggests that the actual scale of cyber activity against the space sector is likely much larger than identified, highlighting the evolving nature of cyber operations in modern conflicts.

The study emphasizes a consistent pattern of cyber operations amid geopolitical tensions, drawing parallels to the cyber activity observed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The findings underscore the need for robust cyber strategies to protect space infrastructure from future threats, as hacktivist groups are increasingly targeting the space sector as part of their operations in conflict scenarios.

The report concludes that as the landscape of warfare evolves, the security of space missions and satellite operations is becoming ever more precarious, necessitating immediate action to bolster defenses against cyber threats in space.