Researchers report over 237 cyber operations targeted space infrastructure from 2023 to 2025.
The study warns cyber warfare now threatens satellites and communications systems worldwide.
Between January 2023 and July 2025, attackers struck the space sector during the Gaza conflict.
The Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zürich analyzed social media posts, news reports, and cybercrime forums.
They documented cyberattacks on Israel’s space sector and international space agencies.
The Israel-Iran confrontation in June 2025 caused the largest surge, recording 72 attacks in one month.
Report author Clémence Poirier says this single month accounts for nearly one-third of all incidents.
The report compares these attacks to patterns observed during Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine.
Researchers identify all but one threat actor as pro-Palestinian groups.
Hamas lacks satellites or space systems over Gaza, though pro-Israeli groups may have acted covertly.
Tactics and Targets of Hacktivists
Hackers carried out ten attacks in October 2023 after Hamas’s incursion on October 7.
These operations targeted the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and defence firm Rafael.
The report says global hacktivists initially struggled to assemble and identify their targets.
During the Gaza conflict, attackers struck 77 space-related organisations or companies.
They focused on Rafael, Elbit Systems, and ISA, while also hitting international bodies like NASA.
Researchers note attackers targeted aerospace and defence firms for military manufacturing, not space activities.
Over 70 percent of attacks used denial-of-service (DDoS) methods that overload systems until networks crash.
Hackers prefer DDoS because they require minimal expertise, act quickly, and distract from more complex breaches.
Other attacks included data leaks, intrusions, and theft of sensitive information.
Some leaks or sales aligned with key conflict events, though researchers cannot fully verify timing.
Manual open-source research revealed many incidents, suggesting actual attack numbers likely exceed documented cases.
Patterns and Implications for Space Security
The space sector saw a peak of 72 attacks during the 12-day Israel-Iran clash in June 2025.
Pro-Palestinian and pro-Iranian groups targeted Israel simultaneously during this escalation.
The report notes the two conflicts influenced each other politically, militarily, and rhetorically.
Hacktivists replicated techniques from previous conflicts during the Gaza operations.
A 2023 DDoS attack by the “Cyber Army of Palestine” on ISA reused code similar to Ukraine’s IT Army.
Most attacks caused minimal physical or operational damage, yet patterns reveal space cyber warfare’s future.
The study finds cyber operations now appear consistently in modern conflicts due to hacktivists’ focus on the sector.
Researchers recommend developing dedicated space-focused cyber strategies to protect infrastructure from future attacks.
