SATELLITE operators have been put on high alert over “possible threats” from Russia that could knock critical communication networks offline.
The FBI and US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued the stark warning weeks after satellite giant Viasat was hit by a cyber attack.
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A joint advisory “strongly encourages” companies to check their defences, in anticipation of similar attacks.
Though the sectors most at risk aren’t revealed, swarths of the US and other nations depend on satellites for key communications, particularly internet in remote areas.
They are also used widely by aviation, government, the media and the military, reports TechCrunch.
All organisations are told to “significantly lower their threshold for reporting and sharing indications of malicious cyber activity”.
Tens of thousands of customers were mysteriously knocked offline when Viasat was targeted in February, including Ukraine.
US intelligence agencies are reportedly trying to identify the hackers that conducted the attack at the same time as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Experts have suggested the satellites were attacked so that it was difficult for Ukraine’s military to communicate during the initial Russian invasion.
The Russian invasion started in the early hours of February 24.
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The cyberattacks coincided with this.
Viasat is also a defense contractor for the US so the cyber attack is concerning for many reasons.
“We currently believe this was a deliberate, isolated and external cyber event,” Viasat spokesperson Chris Phillips explained.
“Viasat’s continuous and ongoing mitigation efforts have stabilised the KA-SAT network.
“Viasat is actively working with distributors to restore service for those fixed broadband users in Europe impacted by this event, with a priority focus on critical infrastructure and humanitarian assistance.
“We continue to make significant progress and multiple resolution efforts have been completed while others are underway.”
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In other news, the new Harry Potter video game Hogwarts Legacy will feature some familiar faces despite being set hundreds of years before the majority of characters were even born.
A major Mars mission to find out whether life ever existed on the planet could be delayed by up to six years at best, as Europe scrambles to replace Russian parts.
Internet users have been urged not to use a popular piece of anti-virus software over fears it could be exploited by the Kremlin to spy or launch cyberattacks.
And Instagram could be planning to bring back a way to see what your friends like on the platform.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
