Hackers steal hundreds of gigabytes from ESA, exposing vulnerabilities in space agency cybersecurity.
ESA suffers cyberattack, sensitive mission data leaked on dark web.
Photo Credit: ESA
A major cybersecurity incident has taken place at the European Space Agency (ESA) after hackers targeted their systems and managed to steal scientific data. The breach is believed to have seen proprietary software, security credentials, mission documentation, and other sensitive information included in the documents leaked, with details of Airbus, SpaceX, and Thales Alenia Space. ESA has now launched a criminal investigation, although experts have warned that email credentials and sensitive data from space agencies are regularly traded online. The incidents underscore mounting cyber threats facing companies in the ever-more competitive space sector.
According to a Space.com report, the first breach had taken place on Boxing Day after a hacker by the name of 888 released more than 200 gigabytes' worth of data. Soon after, the Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters claimed to have stolen another 500 gigabytes, claiming a security hole remained unpatched. ESA has stated that it is working with authorities to deal with the investigation at hand.
These types of attacks are enabled quite regularly through poor cyber hygiene or infostealer malware, which is able to extract credentials, session cookies, and more sensitive information. There is no immediate threat caused by the stolen material, but aggregated leaks could mean strategic information becomes available to any future attackers. Experts say that weaknesses might lie on the part of either ESA or its contractors.
The breaches illustrate that cyberattacks on space agencies are becoming more regular, with NASA and ESA both frequent targets. Officials are encouraging better cybersecurity measures to avoid more of the same.
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