Space Safety: NATO's Cyber Challenges

NATO heavily relies on space assets for missions and defense. But these assets come with a hidden danger: cybersecurity gaps. These weaknesses exist throughout NATO's supply chain for space assets, putting both NATO's missions and member states' security at risk. What's worrying is that this supply chain isn't tightly regulated. So, what are these cybersecurity gaps? And how can NATO and its members better protect their space assets? Experts from public, private, and academic sectors were interviewed to find answers. The study, led by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia, discovered several issues. Old systems and commercial off-the-shelf technology leave room for cyber threats. Plus, there's poor management due to different classification levels and staffing problems. To tackle these issues, NATO should focus on two key areas. First, it needs to raise awareness across the organization. Second, it should push for better regulations with a standardized security framework. This will help NATO and its members spot cyber threats early and boost transparency, responsibility, and accountability.