Space War: Evidence China interfered with US satellites
October 31, 2011 by Jack Blood
Filed under Sci-Tech
The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission has just finished a very disturbing report that lends credence to those US intelligence officers who’ve been arguing that a “cyber state of war” exists between America and China.
The report is scheduled to be presented to the House Intelligence Committee on November 16.
Specifically, the commission found strong evidence that on four separate occasions during a period from 2007 through 2008 the Chinese military may have purposefully interfered with United States government satellites. The electronic incursion was so serious that forensic computer analysis revealed that at least twice hackers—located in mainland China, specifically within Beijing—broke into satellites’ on board computers and were in a position to upload commands.
No commands, however, were initiated.
Hackers targeted weaknesses
According to information gathered by some of America’s most secret intelligence and security agencies—like the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the United States Cyber Command—the Chinese hackers gained access to the satellites by probing for unprotected areas within the extensive communications network.
Overseen by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the attacked satellites’ security was breached when the electronic assault successfully exploited a weakness discovered in an unprotected port of the commercially run Svalbard Satellite Station (SvalSat) computers.
The Spitsbergen, Norway based SvalSat contracts with the space agency.
By hacking into the basic programming and information systems of SvalSat, the hackers were able to open a direct electronic dialog with the satellites.
The commission also notes in its explosive report that the Internet is heavily relied upon for basic information management such as everyday file transfers and ongoing access to critical data.
Damning evidence revealed in report
According to Business Week’s sources, the hackers interfered with two satellite communications systems four times.
“A Landsat-7 earth observation satellite system experienced 12 or more minutes of interference in October 2007 and July 2008, according to the report. Hackers interfered with a Terra EOS AM-1 earth observation satellite twice, for two minutes in June 2008 and nine minutes in October that year, the draft says, citing a closed-door U.S. Air Force briefing.” [Business Week]
The publication also reported that the draft states the Chinese attack
