Workshop on the Security of Space and Satellite Systems (SpaceSec) 2025

In the upcoming years, a significant increase in the number of satellites is expected as novel mega-constellations take their position in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Including initiatives like Starlink and OneWeb, projections suggest the deployment of over 100,000 satellites in the next several years. They have increasingly become integral components of both consumer-oriented and critical infrastructures.

These critical functions, ranging from global navigation and positioning systems to providing phone connections and imaging data, play an ever more crucial role in modern society. The precarious place of satellite systems in the communication and navigation infrastructure naturally makes them attractive targets for cyber attacks. This was evidenced in a major attack on the ViaSat network during the initial days of the war in Ukraine and ongoing disruptions of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) around the world.

The principal vulnerability of satellite systems has been public knowledge since the mid-2000s. Despite early warnings, the security of both legacy and novel deployments remains severely lacking. Recent publications have renewed interest and highlighted the persistence of security issues, now on a much larger scale.

SpaceSec aims to bring together academic researchers, industry professionals, and government representatives to contribute to new theories, technologies, and systems for security/privacy challenges in space and on the ground.