Unencrypted Flying Objects: Security Lessons from University Small Satellite Developers and Their Code
Rachel McAmis, Gregor Haas, Mattea Sim, David Kohlbrenner, Tadayoshi Kohno

TL;DR
This paper investigates security practices of university small satellite teams, revealing widespread vulnerabilities and emphasizing the need for improved security measures in amateur satellite development.
Contribution
It provides insights into current security practices, identifies vulnerabilities, and offers considerations for enhancing security in small satellite development.
Findings
All teams had vulnerabilities accessible to ground-based attackers.
Security practices vary widely among teams.
Participants recognize significant security risks and shortcomings.
Abstract
Satellites face a multitude of security risks that set them apart from hardware on Earth. Small satellites may face additional challenges, as they are often developed on a budget and by amateur organizations or universities that do not consider security. We explore the security practices and preferences of small satellite teams, particularly university satellite teams, to understand what barriers exist to building satellites securely. We interviewed 8 university satellite club leaders across 4 clubs in the U.S. and perform a code audit of 3 of these clubs' code repositories. We find that security practices vary widely across teams, but all teams studied had vulnerabilities available to an unprivileged, ground-based attacker. Participants foresee many risks of unsecured small satellites and indicate security shortcomings in industry and government. Lastly, we identify a set of…
Peer Reviews
No public reviews on file for this paper yet. If you reviewed it on a platform where reviews are public (OpenReview, ICLR, NeurIPS, ICML), you can paste yours below so the community can read it here.
Videos
No videos yet. Explain this paper in a talk, walkthrough, or lecture? Add one.
Taxonomy
TopicsSpace exploration and regulation · Spacecraft Design and Technology · Space Satellite Systems and Control
