Meta has been fined $101 million after it was discovered that up to 600 million Facebook and Instagram passwords had been stored in plain text since 2012. These unprotected passwords were accessible to over 20,000 Meta employees. Although the breach was identified in 2019, Meta violated GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) rules by failing to promptly report the issue. The Irish Data Protection Commission found that Meta had not taken appropriate security measures and had delayed notifying the regulator. Meta should have strong encryption protocols put in place, including access control, two-factor authentication and following through with timely breach notifications.
If passwords were stored in plain text within the space systems infrastructure this could lead to catastrophic failures. Plain text passwords makes it easier for threat actors to gain access manipulate mission-critical systems, intercept communications, or disrupt operations. In space cybersecurity, encryption technologies like PKI, AES, and hashing ensure secure data transmission and storage, preventing unauthorized access to critical systems. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) strengthens access control by requiring multiple verification methods beyond passwords. These technologies safeguard communications between satellites, ground stations, and control systems, mitigating risks from cyber threats such as espionage or system takeovers. Emerging solutions like quantum-resistant encryption future-proof these defenses, ensuring resilience against evolving cyber threats, which is crucial for maintaining secure space operations.