Hackers On Planet Earth

Cybersecurity for Space Systems: Integrating Offensive Methods, Defending System Vulnerabilities, and Space Law

Tiffany Strauchs Rad

As space systems become increasingly integrated with U.S. critical infrastructure, cybersecurity must evolve beyond defensive approaches to include offensive techniques that expose and counter adversary capabilities. Critical services such as GPS remain vulnerable to jamming and spoofing as a result of electronic warfare, while command centers and user terminals face risks from network exploitation, malware, and credential compromise. In addition, unencrypted data links within some GEO communications systems enable interception and hijacking, and supply chain compromises introduce further threats to mission assurance and system integrity. Addressing these challenges requires cybersecurity education and training that is adversary-informed. Cybersecurity engineers must also understand the legal and policy frameworks governing behavior in space, including the Outer Space Treaty, Artemis Accords, and the Moon Treaty. This presentation highlights experiential learning initiatives such as the Cyber Drone Challenge and Cyber Space Challenge demonstrating a multidisciplinary model for educating and preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals to secure the evolving space domain.

Saturday 1400 Grand Ballroom

Tiffany Strauchs Rad is a cybersecurity engineer, attorney, and adjunct professor with more than two decades of experience in technology, law, and cyber security. Her work focuses on securing critical infrastructure and complex mission-critical systems, including transportation and space technologies. She has led initiatives to develop cybersecurity standards and legislation for critical infrastructure and has expertise in network security, resilience, and adversary-informed defense. Tiffany also teaches cybersecurity at three universities, where she emphasizes hands-on, offensive techniques to better prepare students to understand and counter real-world threats. She is actively involved in advancing experiential learning through initiatives such as the educational nonprofit CyberAuto Challenge and CyberDrone Challenge. One of her industrial control system independent research projects was featured in an episode on USA Network’s Mr. Robot and she speaks about legal and technical topics at conferences, has been on Off The Hook a few times, and written a “Hacker Perspective” in 2600: The Hacker Quarterly.