Weapon systems are increasingly networked and automated, making them susceptible to cyber-attacks ranging from radio frequency manipulation to social engineering email campaigns. While the most recent systems are built with cybersecurity in mind, outdated systems are more exposed to growing digital threats. Improving cybersecurity and resilience in space-based systems can be difficult.
Space systems operate in a very harsh environment. Once in orbit, doing hardware maintenance and upgrades becomes a major logistical challenge. Furthermore, the problem of protecting space-based platforms is exacerbated by the platforms’ close linkages to other systems. Protecting these networked systems necessitates a deliberate approach to cybersecurity. That involves making cybersecurity a priority rather than a secondary issue for mission preparedness. The greatest strategy for maintaining ongoing resilience and vigilance against cyber vulnerabilities is to design and create a system with cybersecurity in mind. The best that can be done is as follows:
- Identify mission-relevant threats and vulnerabilities
- Build resilient operations
- Use analytics to empower resilience techniques.
In my second blog article, I covered many basic-level frameworks that may be applied to systems. This time, I read about cyber strategies for preventing these vulnerabilities.
One of the methodologies that piqued my interest was MBSE, which stands for model-based systems engineering and encompasses specializations like reverse engineering and digital twins.
DIGITAL TWINS
This essentially helps to prepare for the unexpected; with this cyber specialist, you can:
- Illuminate possible vulnerabilities
- Develop mitigations to prevent the attack
- Prioritize based on the severity of the vulnerability and the complexity of the mitigation
REVERSE ENGINEERING
This facilitates in the discovery of vulnerabilities by breaking down systems into its constituent elements, allowing the military to better understand how to upgrade the system. It also helps us to detect built-in vulnerabilities so that they may be mitigated, and outdated systems replaced with contemporary, safe, and sustainable designs.
Making security a fundamental factor in system design, hardening systems to operate in the face of an attack, and using sophisticated analytics are all critical steps toward increasing cyber resiliency.
REFERENCES
https://www.boozallen.com/markets/space/secure-space-systems-from-cyber-threats.html