T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing

Through Executive Orders, the Trump administration is looking ensure that America's space capabilities have the workforce and technological innovation needed for success. Host Maria Varmazis sits down with Producer Ethan Cook to continue their conversation as they look at more space-related Executive Orders. While the previous episode looked at the orders that laid out the administration's broad s...

Since taking office, the Trump administration has signed a series of Executive Orders that aims to boost the US's space presence. Host Maria Varmazis sits down with Producer Ethan Cook to dive into two recent Executive Orders signed by President Trump. These two orders look to significantly grow the US's space capabilities removing regulatory hurdles, encouraging innovation, and growing commercial...

As space infrastructure expands, so too does the need for cybersecurity expertise beyond securing traditional spacecraft. Host Maria Varmazis speaks with ⁠Milenk Starcevic⁠, Head of Cybersecurity at ⁠Vision Space⁠, and ⁠Andrzej “Andy” Olchawa⁠, Senior Cybersecurity Engineer also at Vision Space, about the growing space cybersecurity field. They discuss the role of compliance and auditing, how cybe...

Though spacecraft are important, space cybersecurity extends well beyond these assets touching ground stations, mission-control assets, and other critical components. Host Maria Varmazis speaks with Milenk Starcevic, Head of Cybersecurity at Vision Space, and Andrzej “Andy” Olchawa, Senior Cybersecurity Engineer also at Vision Space, about the broader space cybersecurity attack surface. By conside...

Space infrastructure has become an increasingly important part of everyday life, which has also made it an increasingly attractive target for exploitation. Host Maria Varmazis and Sean MacKirdy, Area Vice President for the National Security vertical at Elastic Government Solutions, sit down to discuss how space stakeholders need to reevaluate their approach to securing space systems. As space syst...

As space becomes increasingly connected and autonomous, effective cybersecurity policy is struggling to keep pace. Host Maria Varmazis and ⁠⁠⁠Dr. Mac McGuire sit down to discuss the limitations of current approaches for managing space cyber risks and what the industry is lacking. The two discuss how the space incidents have the potential to significantly impact astronauts by disrupting oxygen syst...

The accurate timing data from spacecraft has become an invaluable tool for nearly every critical infrastructure sector and a greater target for malicious actors. Host Maria Varmazis and ⁠Andy Davis⁠, Global Research Director at the NCC Group, discuss the importance of timing in space. The two look at how timing systems have continued to grow more important in everyday life and why attackers have b...

Despite the space sector's consistent growth and greater importance as a critical infrastructure sector, finding cybersecurity talent is still proving to be a challenge. Host Maria Varmazis and Nick Cohen, Principal Engineer at the Aerospace Corporation, sat down to discuss the current state of space's cybersecurity workforce. The two look at how the existing workforce is not large enough to effec...

As space infrastructure has continued to expand, developing secure space systems has become just as important as launching the spacecraft themselves. In this week's episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with Filip Rezabek, co-founder and CTO of Space Computer, to talk about some of the technologies being created to secure space infrastructure in orbit. The two discuss the importance of establishi...

As AI products proliferate, they continue to introduce new concerns, which have subtly eroded trust in imagery and content created by space-based infrastructure. In this week's episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with ⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner and Brandon Karpf to look at Google's troubled implementation of Nano Banana 2 in Google Earth. The incident raises larger concerns regarding how AI systems are be...

As commercial space activity accelerates, satellite manufacturers are rethinking how spacecraft are designed, built, and secured. In this week's episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with Jason Roberson, an Industry Value Expert for Aerospace & Defense at Dassault Systems, to discuss how AI, automation, and digital engineering are transforming the space industry's product lifecycle. From digital...

As the space ecosystem continues to expand, the sector has become increasingly filled with new suppliers, manufacturers, and operators. However, while this development has led to the introduction of new technologies, it has also greatly expanded space's cyberattack surface. In this week's episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with Jen Sovada, General Manager of Public Sector at Claroty. During th...

As space becomes an increasingly important part of global communications, national security, and critical infrastructure, European governments are confronting a difficulty: How much control do they need over their own space capabilities? In this week’s episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with producer Ethan Cook⁠⁠⁠ to examine the growing push for European space sovereignty and the challenges st...

As space becomes an increasingly critical part of modern infrastructure, governments are reevaluating decades of policy to ensure reliable, secure, and independent access to the systems they are increasingly relying on. In this week’s episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with producer Ethan Cook⁠ to explore Europe's evolving space strategy and how it is increasingly prioritizing space sovereignt...

As the world prepares itself for quantum computing, governments and private space enterprises alike are looking to get ahead of the technology and manage the rapidly-accelerating risks. In this week’s episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with ⁠⁠⁠Eddy Zervigon, CEO of Quantum XChange to discuss the impacts that the post-quantum world will have impact on the space sector. During the conversation,...

Over the past two decades, the space industry has changed dramatically, evolving from a largely government led effort to one that is now rooted in private enterprises driving growth and innovation. In this week’s episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with ⁠⁠⁠Damian DiPippa, CEO of Auria Space, to discuss how the commercialization of the space industry is driving new changes. During the conversati...

Despite the space sector seeing greater investment and attention year-over-year, the sector still remains bound by an outdated and ineffective supply chain, especially in the United States. In this week’s episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with Doug Anderson, Partner at PwC, and Steve Jordan-Tomaszewski, Vice President of the Space Systems Division at AIA, to dive into PwC’s recent study looki...

Traditionally, GPS jamming attacks have been confined to the ground; however, new data shows that these attacks could be moving to target signals before they even reach the ground. In this week’s episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with Dave Bittner and Brandon Karpf to discuss recent research that suggests the attack landscape for GPS attacks is expanding. If this research is accurate, these a...

For years, space cybersecurity has been a long sought after goal, but due to operational constraints, it was largely unfeasible. In this week’s episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with journalist Shaun Waterman to discuss his recent article “The Newest Space Race is Cyber.” As space has increasingly become a critical infrastructure component, industry leaders and security agencies alike have be...

GPS constellations have become foundational in modern society supporting everything from navigation to financial services, making the impacts of GPS disruptions all the more concerning. As reliance on these systems have grown, so too have efforts by threat actors to disrupt them through techniques such as jamming and spoofing. As these attacks have become more effective, they are becoming increasi...

Since its original creation in the 1970s, GPS has evolved from a technology primarily used by the military to a foundation for modern society.  After the removal of selective availability for civilians in 2000, GPS’s value has significantly expanded. In the past two decades, nearly every critical infrastructure sector–telecommunications, transportation, energy, agriculture, emergency services, and...

Despite being an indispensable technology, traditional GPS remains vulnerable to exploitation and is needed for an update. In this week's episode, host Maria Varmazis sits down with Dr. Sean Gorman, CEO of Zephr.xyz, to discuss the current state of GPS. For decades, GPS has been a cornerstone technology for private, public, and military entities; however, through new technological advancements, co...

For years, in-space internet capabilities were rarely worth the hassle. Now, that’s changing. In today’s episode, Maria Varmazis and Ethan Cook sit down to discuss how internet data moves through space systems and its recent advancements. For decades, GEO satellites made up most of the marketplace; however, LEO satellites are changing the landscape improving connectivity and speeds. Key sources: I...

T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing  from N2K CyberWire examines the  expanding attack surface created between Earth and orbit. Each week, we cover space and cyber developments that bridge technology, commerce, and innovation. We are the cybersecurity industry’s source for understanding how space-based infrastructure reshapes digital networks,  risk, and resilience globally. Learn more about your ad cho...

In anticipation of our launch this weekend of T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing podcast, please enjoy this interview that CyberWire Daily's Dave Bittner had with Brandon Karpf. They discuss: "⁠Japan’s space systems face growing cybersecurity threats.⁠" Stay tuned for the first episode of T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing on Sunday with host Maria Varmazis and tune in each Sunday for new episodes! Learn mo...