Assaults and cyberattacks on satellites have gotten extra widespread and a trigger for safety issues, in keeping with the EU’s international affairs chief.
Josep Borrell stated on Tuesday that a kind of assaults was a transparent signal of the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Talking on the opening of the European House Convention in Brussels, the EU’s Excessive Consultant for International Affairs stated that 24 hours earlier than Moscow invaded its neighbour in February final yr, the house telecommunication community utilized by the Ukrainian military was focused by a cyberattack and that the malicious code used managed to convey down elements of the community.
“House has turn into a strategic house, I will not say a battlefield, however a spot the place satellites are or will be focused,” Borrell informed Euronews.
“We’re critically depending on data that’s acquired or bounced again from satellites. Most of our civilian and navy infrastructure depends upon a satellite tv for pc system.”
There at the moment are 5,500 satellites in orbit, with round 10% utilized by the world’s navy. NATO is now defining house as one of the vital necessary areas.
However Borrell stated dangers may additionally come from the bodily destruction of satellites.
“Russia lately destroyed certainly one of its satellites with a ground-launched missile. If it did it to certainly one of its [own] satellites, it might probably do it to some other satellite tv for pc tomorrow. So we’ve got to be involved concerning the security of the weather which can be in house,” the EU’s high diplomat stated.
“The destruction of a satellite tv for pc fills house with small metallic particles. They’re small however on the pace at which they go they’re tremendously harmful.”
The European Fee will current a brand new house initiative in March that goals to ensure safety each for individuals and the bloc’s essential infrastructure.
