In recent years, the number of satellites in orbit has surged dramatically, driven by the deployment of large-scale mega-constellations such as Starlink and OneWeb. Current projections estimate that more than 100,000 satellites will be launched in the coming decade, positioning satellite communication as a critical backbone of both consumer services and essential infrastructures.

Space-based systems are now providing a wide array of vital societal functions—ranging from global navigation and positioning, to telecommunication, Earth observation, and IoT connectivity. Yet, their central role in modern infrastructure also makes them highly attractive targets for cyber attacks. This risk is not theoretical: the attack on ViaSat during the early stages of the war in Ukraine and persistent disruptions of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) worldwide highlight the tangible threats facing the domain.

Concerns about the cybersecurity of satellite systems have circulated since the mid-2000s, echoed in both academic research and hacker communities. Recent publications at leading security venues have reignited these debates, demonstrating that many long-standing vulnerabilities remain unresolved—and are now magnified by the unprecedented scale of satellite deployment. This raises a pressing question: why do these issues persist, despite years of awareness?

The answer lies, at least in part, in the unique nature of the space environment. The constraints of satellite design, deployment, and operation introduce challenges unlike those found in terrestrial systems. Addressing them requires novel approaches and interdisciplinary research at the intersection of space systems and cybersecurity.

Important Dates

Paper Submission Deadline	9 November 2025 (AoE)
Notification of Acceptance	16 December 2025 (AoE)
Workshop Date	24 February 2026 (Pacific Standard Time)
Camera Ready Submission	22 March 2026 (AoE)

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Call for Papers

The scope of SpaceSec covers all systems that are directly or indirectly connected to, or dependent on, space and satellite infrastructures. This includes communication links (satellite–ground and satellite–satellite), the ground segment (such as ground stations and terrestrial systems relying on satellite communications), and the space segment (including satellites and launch vehicles). We also consider the broad ecosystem of applications, use cases, and dependencies built upon satellite services. While all orbital regimes are of interest, particular emphasis is placed on research related to modern Low Earth Orbit (LEO) mega-constellations.

SpaceSec welcomes security contributions that demonstrate clear relevance to space and satellite systems and applications. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

Space Systems Security

• Small Satellite and CubeSat Security
• Ground/User Segment Attacks and Vulnerabilities
• Legacy Space System Security Analysis
• Space System Security Testbeds
• Measurement Infrastructure and Data Collection of Space Mission Security Data
• Security of Launch Vehicles and Launch Processes
• GNSS Attack and Defense Mechanisms
• Security of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Technologies
• Data- and ML-driven Security of Space Missions
• Secure Satellite Software/Hardware Development
• Reverse Engineering and Tampering of Space and Ground Segments
• Side-Channels and Fault Attacks on Space- or User Segment Devices
• In-Orbit Intrusion Detection

Communications Security

• Satellite Link Jamming and Spoofing
• Securing and Attacking Inter-Satellite Links
• Optical Satellite Communication Security
• (Post-quantum) Cryptography for Space Communications
• LEO Constellation Routing Security
• Secure Optimized Satellite Communication Protocols (e.g., PEPs, QUIC)
• Key Management for (LEO) Constellations and Space Systems

Privacy and Usability

• Localization and Anonymity in Satellite Networks
• Privacy Issues in Satellite Communication
• Ethical Aspects of Satellite Security
• Usability of Existing Space Software and Standards

Space Security Strategies

• Economics of Space Security
• Game Theory-based Security Analysis Approaches
• Red Teaming and Blue Teaming in Space
• Supply Chain Security for Space Mission Components
• Forensics in Space Security Incidents

Submission Guidelines

All papers must be original and not simultaneously submitted to another journal or conference. The following paper types are welcome:

Short Paper: Maximum 4 pages. Short papers should provide enough context for the reader to understand the contribution. Preliminary work is encouraged but not required.

Long Paper: Maximum 8 pages. Traditional research papers.

Submissions should follow the double-column NDSS format. Page limits exclude the bibliography and appendices, which can be up to 2 pages for long papers and 1 page for short papers.

We invite submissions in the following categories:

• Research Paper: A novel contribution in line with the topics of interest.
• Position Paper: New or provocative ideas of interest to the satellite and space communities.
• Experience Paper: Lessons learned from experiments or deployments.
• Preliminary Work Paper: Early results from interesting and new ideas.
• Extended Work Paper: Unpublished aspects of previously published work.

Anonymization and the Review Process: The review process is double-blind. All submissions should be anonymized.

Publication: SpaceSec26 proceedings will be published post-conference with the NDSS 2026.

Further Notes: At least one author of each accepted paper must register for the workshop and present the paper. Simultaneous submission of the same work to multiple venues, submission of previously published work, and plagiarism are prohibited.

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Organization

TPC and General Co-Chairs

Vincent Lenders, University of Luxembourg (LUX), vincent.lenders@uni.lu

Gunes Karabulut Kurt, Polytechnique Montréal (CA), gunes.kurt@polymtl.ca

Steering Committee

• Vincent Lenders, University of Luxembourg (LUX)
• Ivan Martinovic, University of Oxford (UK)
• Christina Pöpper, NYU Abu Dhabi (UAE)
• Knut Eckstein, European Space Agency (Europe)
• Martin Strohmeier, Cyber-Defence Campus, armasuisse (CH)
• Johannes Willbold, Ruhr University Bochum (DE)
• Samuel Jero, MIT Lincoln Lab (USA)
• Aanjhan Ranganathan, Northeastern University (USA)

Web Chair

Simon Birnbach, University of Oxford (UK), simon.birnbach@cs.ox.ac.uk

Publicity Chair

Jessie Hamill-Stewart, University of Bath and University of Bristol (UK), jessie.hamill-stewart@bristol.ac.uk

Program Committee

• Ali Abbasi, CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security
• Antonios Atlasis, European Space Agency
• Brandon Bailey, The Aerospace Corporation
• Olfa Ben Yahia, Polytechnique Montréal
• Simon Birnbach, University of Oxford
• Yueqi Chen, University of Colorado Boulder
• Bruce DeBruhl, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• Knut Eckstein, European Space Agency
• Gregory Falco, Cornell University
• Daniel Fischer, European Space Agency
• Giacomo Giuliari, Mysten Labs
• Andreas Hein, University of Luxembourg
• Stephen Herwig, William & Mary
• Eric Jedermann, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau
• Samuel Jero, MIT Lincoln Lab
• Sebastian Köhler, University of Oxford
• Patrick Lin, California Polytechnic State University
• Ulf Lindqvist, SRI
• Mark Manulis, Universität der Bundeswehr München
• Ivan Martinovic, University of Oxford
• James Pavur, Cysec Labs
• Christina Pöpper, NYU Abu Dhabi
• Aanjhan Ranganathan, Northeastern University
• Harshad Sathaye, ETH Zürich
• Stephen Schwab, USC Information Sciences Institute
• Mridula Singh, CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security
• Georgios Smaragdakis, TU Delft
• Martin Strohmeier, Cyber-Defence Campus, armasuisse Science & Technology
• Nils Ole Tippenhauer, CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security
• Howard Weiss, Parsons, Inc.
• Johannes Willbold, Ruhr University Bochum
• Simay Yilmaz, Izmir Katip Celebi University

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