Security assessment of Internet-exposed satellite ground segments via non-intrusive reconnaissance

Hyeongjun Choi; Young Eun Kwon; Ji Won Yoon

doi:10.23386/joss.2026.3.1.006

All Issue

2026 Vol.3, Issue 1 Preview Page

Security assessment of Internet-exposed satellite ground segments via non-intrusive reconnaissance

30 June 2026. pp. 43-51

PDF XML

Abstract

The rapid transition of satellite communication networks toward IP-centric architectures has expanded the remotely reachable attack surface of the ground segment. While prior security research has predominantly emphasized physical and link-layer threats, security weaknesses in the logical management plane remain insufficiently characterized at Internet scale. This paper presents a comprehensive, non-intrusive security assessment of Internet-exposed satellite modems using Open Source Intelligence and lightweight verification. We propose four assessment modules targeting legacy management protocols such as SNMP, SSL/TLS certificate metadata, web-based management interfaces, and configuration backup mechanisms. Our evaluation indicates that exposure through legacy management services is often constrained by access controls, whereas user-facing web interfaces and configuration workflows continue to exhibit recurring weaknesses. We show that SSL/TLS certificate metadata observable through Internet measurements can leak organizational and deployment context that supports precision reconnaissance. We also identify patterns of unauthenticated diagnostic access and predictable configuration artifact endpoints that may disclose sensitive operational information and reduce the barrier for follow-on compromise when combined with weak authentication or misconfigured access control. Overall, the results suggest that the dominant risk to satellite ground segments is increasingly driven by application-layer misconfigurations and operational workflow weaknesses rather than simple network-level port exposure, underscoring the need to adopt Secure by Design principles for remote management and configuration lifecycle controls.

Keywords

Satellite communication

Open source intelligence

Vulnerability assessment

Management plane security

References

P. Tedeschi, S. Sciancalepore, and R. Di Pietro, Satellite-based communications security: a survey of threats, solutions, and research challenges. Computer Networks. 216, 2022, 109246.

10.1016/j.comnet.2022.109246

N. Boschetti, N.G. Gordon, and G. Falco, Space cybersecurity lessons learned from the Viasat cyberattack, Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery (ASCEND), 24-26 October, 2022, AIAA 2022-4380.

10.2514/6.2022-4380

J. Kua, S.W. Loke, C. Arora, N. Fernando, and C. Ranaweera, Internet of things in space: a review of opportunities and challenges from satellite-aided computing to digitally-enhanced space living. Sensors. 21, 2021, 8117.

10.3390/s2123811734884122PMC8662413

J.A. Fraire, S. Céspedes, and N. Accettura, Direct-to-satellite IoT: a survey of the state of the art and future research perspectives: backhauling the IoT through LEO satellites, International Conference on Ad-Hoc Networks and Wireless, 1-3 October, 2019, pp. 241-258.

10.1007/978-3-030-31831-4_17

J. Pavur and D. Student, Whispers among the stars, DEF CON 28, 6-9 August, 2020.

R. Bisping, J. Willbold, M. Strohmeier, and V. Lenders, Wireless signal injection attacks on VSAT satellite modems, USENIX Security Symposium, 14-16 August, 2024, pp. 6075-6091.

G. Oligeri, S. Sciancalepore, and R. Di Pietro, GNSS spoofing detection via opportunistic Iridium signals, ACM Conference on Security and Privacy in Wireless and Mobile Networks, 8-10 July, 2020, pp. 42-52.

10.1145/3395351.3399350

R. Santamarta, A wake-up call for satcom security. 2014, Seattle, WA, USA: IOActive.

Z. Durumeric, D. Adrian, A. Mirian, M. Bailey, and J. A. Halderman, A search engine backed by internet-wide scanning, ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security, 12-16 October, 2015, pp. 542-553.

10.1145/2810103.2813703

L. Yu, J. Hao, J. Ma, Y. Sun, Y. Zhao, and B. Luo, A comprehensive analysis of security vulnerabilities and attacks in satellite modems, ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security, 14-18 October, 2024, pp. 3287-3301.

G. Maral, M. Bousquet, and Z. Sun, Satellite communications systems: systems, techniques and technology. 2020, Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons.

10.1002/9781119673811

W. Stallings, SNMP, SNMPv2, SNMPv3, and RMON 1 and 2. 1998, Boston, MA, USA: Addison-Wesley.

10.1109/COMST.1998.5340405

T. Chung, Y. Liu, D. Choffnes, D. Levin, B. M. Maggs, A. Mislove, and C. Wilson, Measuring and applying invalid SSL certificates: the silent majority, Internet Measurement Conference, 14-16 November, 2016, pp. 527-541.

10.1145/2987443.2987454

J. Willbold, M. Schloegel, M. Vögele, T. Gerhardt, T. Holz, and A. Abbasi, Space odyssey: an experimental software security analysis of satellites, IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, 22-24 May, 2023, pp. 1-19.

10.1109/SP46215.2023.10351029

F. Casaril and L. Galletta, Securing satcom user segment: a study on cybersecurity challenges in view of IRIS2. Computers & Security. 140, 2024, 103799.

10.1016/j.cose.2024.103799

J. Pavur, D. Moser, M. Strohmeier, V. Lenders, and I. Martinovic, A tale of sea and sky on the security of maritime VSAT communications, IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, 18-21 May, 2020, pp. 1384-1400.

10.1109/SP40000.2020.00056

J. D. Case, M. Fedor, M. L. Schoffstall, and J. Davin, Simple network management protocol (SNMP). 1989, RFC 1157.

10.17487/rfc1098

K. McCloghrie and M. Rose, Management information base for network management of TCP/IP-based internets: MIB-II. 1991, RFC 1213.

10.17487/rfc1213

R. Fielding, J. Gettys, J. Mogul, H. Frystyk, L. Masinter, P. Leach, and T. Berners-Lee, Hypertext transfer protocol HTTP/1.1. 1999, RFC 2616.

10.17487/rfc2616

Information

Publisher :Korean Academy of Space Security
Publisher(Ko) :한국우주안보학회
Journal Title :JOURNAL OF SPACE SECURITY
Journal Title(Ko) :한국우주안보학회지
Volume : 3
No :1
Pages :43-51
Received Date : 2026-02-24
Revised Date : 2026-05-27
Accepted Date : 2026-05-29
DOI :https://doi.org/10.23386/joss.2026.3.1.006

JOURNAL OF SPACE SECURITY ISSN:3058-5759(Print) 한국우주안보학회지

All Issue