Researchers document over 237 cyber operations against space infrastructure between 2023 and 2025.
Cyber warfare now threatens satellites and communication systems, the report warns.
The Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zürich collected social media posts, news articles, and cybercrime forum data to track attacks on Israeli and global space agencies.
Cyberattacks peaked during the Israel-Iran conflict in June 2025, with 72 incidents in a single month.
This spike accounts for almost one-third of all attacks during the research period, said Clémence Poirier, the report author.
The study states that cyber campaigns against space systems now follow patterns seen in armed conflicts, similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Researchers identify nearly all threat actors as pro-Palestinian groups, with one exception.
Hamas lacks satellites or space systems, and researchers suggest that pro-Israeli actors may have executed secret operations.
Targets and Tactics of Hacktivists
Hackers launched ten attacks in October 2023 following Hamas’s armed incursion on October 7.
They hit organizations including the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and the defence company Rafael.
The report notes that global hacktivists took time to coordinate and identify targets during the escalation.
Hacktivists targeted 77 space-related organizations during the Gaza conflict, including Rafael, Elbit Systems, the ISA, and international agencies such as NASA.
Attackers focused on aerospace and defence firms mainly because of military equipment production, not space activities.
Over 70 percent of attacks relied on denial-of-service (DDoS) methods, overwhelming systems until they failed.
Researchers explain that DDoS attacks require minimal skill, execute quickly, and serve as distractions for advanced breaches.
Other operations included data leaks, intrusions, and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Some leaks or sales coincided with important conflict events, though the study cautions verification is difficult and manipulation is possible.
The report concludes that manually documented incidents likely underrepresent the full scale of attacks on space systems.
Emerging Patterns in Space Cyber Warfare
The largest surge occurred during a 12-day Israel-Iran confrontation in June 2025, with 72 cyberattacks.
Pro-Palestinian and pro-Iranian actors coordinated strikes on Israel simultaneously.
The study notes that these conflicts influenced each other politically, militarily, and rhetorically, while threat actors operated across arenas.
Hacktivists copied methods from previous conflicts and applied them to the Gaza fighting.
A 2023 DDoS attack by the “Cyber Army of Palestine” against the ISA used code resembling tools deployed by Ukraine’s IT Army.
Most attacks caused limited physical damage, but the activity patterns reveal the future of space-based cyber conflict.
Researchers argue that cyber operations now represent consistent elements in modern warfare due to hacktivist interest in space industry targets.
The report recommends developing dedicated cyber strategies to protect satellites, communication systems, and other critical space infrastructure.
