Updated Standard for Secure Satellite Communications: Analysis of Satellites, Attack Vectors, Existing Standards, and Enterprise and Security Architectures

Abstract: Satellites play a vital role in remote communication where traditional communication mediums struggle to provide benefits over associated costs and efficiency. In recent years, satellite communication has achieved utter interest in the industry due to the achievement of high data rates through the massive deployment of LEO satellites. Because of the complex diversity in types of satellites, communication methodologies, technological obstacles, environmental limitations, elements in the entire ecosystem, massive financial impact, geopolitical conflict and domination, easier access to satellite communications, and various other reasons, the threat vectors are rising in the threat landscape. To achieve resilience against those, only technological solutions are not enough. An effective approach will be through security standards. However, there is a considerable gap in the industry regarding a generic security standard framework for satellite communication and space data systems. A few countries and space agencies have their own standard framework and private policies. However, many of those are either private, serve the specific requirements of specific missions, or have not been updated for a long time. This project report will focus on identifying, categorizing, comparing, and assessing elements, threat landscape, enterprise security architectures, and available public standards of satellite communication and space data systems. After that, it will utilize the knowledge to propose an updated standard framework for secure satellite communications and space data systems.