Space Sector Faces Surge in Ground-Based Cyber Attacks
The 407 documented incidents in 2025 highlight a shift in geopolitical tactics away from orbital assets.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Cybersecurity
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Researchers at ETH Zurich documented 407 cyber incidents impacting the global space sector throughout 2025. The study reveals that these attacks primarily targeted terrestrial infrastructure and ground systems rather than satellites in orbit.
Why it matters
The findings underscore how space-related infrastructure has become a key vector for geopolitical conflict. Attacks increasingly exploit the reliance on commercial off-the-shelf hardware and interconnected supply chains.
The report identified 183 impacted organizations and 139 distinct threat actors during 2025. Distributed denial-of-service attacks, which overwhelm systems with traffic, were the most frequent malicious activity recorded.
The players
ETH Zurich
A public research university in Switzerland that conducts large-scale analysis on cyber risk in aerospace and critical infrastructure.
CSS
The Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich, which specializes in analyzing geopolitical threats and cyber security trends.
The details
Attackers primarily exploited terrestrial ground systems and information technology environments that manage space data. These systems are increasingly vulnerable due to the industry-wide shift toward using commercial off-the-shelf components—standardized parts designed for mass-market use—which often lack the hardened security protocols required for critical infrastructure. The high degree of connectivity between these ground assets and global supply chain ecosystems provides multiple entry points for unauthorized access.
Timeline
2022: The Viasat KA-SAT network cyberattack occurred.
2024: ETH Zurich published its Hacking the Cosmos report.
2025: Researchers documented 407 cyber incidents.
November 2025: The CSS published the Breaking the Final Frontier report.
September 2026: The CSS published the Space Cyber Threat Intelligence report.
The Tech Race
This research follows the precedent set by the 2022 Viasat KA-SAT network cyberattack, which remains a primary reference for space-sector vulnerabilities. The findings indicate that threat actors have shifted focus toward ground-based infrastructure to disrupt both military and civilian operations.
Organizations involved in the space supply chain must now account for increased risk to their terrestrial ground systems. These findings suggest that security teams should prioritize hardening standard IT hardware rather than focusing solely on orbital communications.
The takeaway
The space sector remains a high-value target for geopolitical actors who prioritize terrestrial disruption over complex orbital attacks. Observers should track upcoming CSS threat intelligence releases for changes in incident volume and actor sophistication.
Further reading
For broader trends in infrastructure protection, see our coverage of Cybersecurity.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Spaceanddefense.
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