Researchers recorded over 237 cyberattacks on space infrastructure from 2023 through 2025.
Experts warn that hackers now threaten satellites and communication systems worldwide.
Between January 2023 and July 2025, attackers hit the space sector during the Gaza conflict.
The Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zürich collected data from social media, news outlets, and cybercrime forums to track attacks on Israel and international agencies.
June 2025 saw the sharpest rise in activity, when Israel and Iran triggered 72 cyber operations in one month.
Report author Clémence Poirier stated this spike represents almost one-third of all incidents in the study.
Researchers observed that cyberattacks against space are now a recurring trend during armed conflicts, similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The study identified all but one attacker as pro-Palestinian groups.
Hamas lacks satellites or space systems, and pro-Israeli actors may have executed some operations covertly.
Targeting Strategies and Attack Methods
Hackers launched ten attacks in October 2023 after Hamas’s armed incursion on October 7.
They focused on the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and defence company Rafael.
The report notes that the escalation surprised hacktivists worldwide, slowing their coordination and target selection.
Hacktivists attacked 77 organisations and companies linked to space during the Gaza conflict.
Rafael, Elbit Systems, and the ISA suffered the most attacks, but international organisations like NASA also faced cyber threats.
Researchers report that attackers targeted aerospace and defence firms mainly for their military roles, not space activities.
Over 70 percent of attacks involved denial-of-service (DDoS) operations that overwhelm networks and crash systems.
Attackers favor DDoS because they require little expertise, act quickly, and distract from more sophisticated breaches.
Other attacks included data leaks, intrusions, and system breaches.
Some leaks coincided with key events in the conflict, though verification remains difficult, and attackers may have fabricated timing.
The study concludes that open-source research uncovered only a fraction of attacks, implying far greater actual activity.
Emerging Patterns and Future Risks
Israel and Iran triggered 72 cyberattacks during a 12-day confrontation in June 2025, the largest single surge recorded.
Pro-Palestinian and pro-Iranian groups attacked Israel simultaneously during this period.
The report states the two conflicts influenced each other politically, militarily, and rhetorically, with attackers operating across both arenas.
Hacktivists replicated techniques from prior conflicts in the Gaza fighting.
A 2023 DDoS attack by the “Cyber Army of Palestine” on ISA used code similar to the IT Army of Ukraine’s tools.
Most incidents caused limited physical damage, but the patterns reveal the future of space-focused cyber conflict.
Researchers argue that cyber operations now form consistent components of modern warfare due to hacktivist interest in space-sector targets.
The study recommends developing space-specific cyber strategies to protect satellites and critical infrastructure from future attacks.
