A recent leak of a US intelligence report reveals that China is actively developing advanced cyber weapons designed to “seize control” of enemy satellites. By doing so, these satellites would become useless for data transmission or surveillance during times of war. According to the leaked document, China’s efforts to create tools to “deny, exploit, or hijack” enemy satellites are central to its objective of controlling information, which Beijing views as a vital “war-fighting domain.”
A new era in cyber warfare
The CIA-marked document was shared by a 21-year-old US Air Guardsman and is considered one of the most significant American intelligence disclosures in over a decade. China’s cyber capabilities far surpass Russia’s deployment in Ukraine, where electronic warfare teams have employed a brute-force approach with limited results.
China’s sophisticated cyber attacks aim to imitate signals enemy satellites receive from their operators, tricking them into either complete takeover or malfunction during critical moments in combat. The classified US document states that this cyber capability would enable China to seize control of a satellite, rendering it ineffective for communication, weapon support, or intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. The US has not disclosed whether it possesses similar capabilities.
The growing importance of satellite communications
Taiwan, recognizing the essential role satellite communications have played in the Ukrainian military, is working to develop communications infrastructure capable of withstanding an attack from China. Taiwan is seeking investors to establish its satellite provider and experimenting with non-geostationary satellite receivers in numerous locations to guarantee bandwidth during war or disasters.
Russian cyber attacks on satellite communications underscore their importance in modern warfare. A successful Russian attack rendered thousands of Ukrainian military routers from US-based Viasat ineffective just hours before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The attack was described as “catastrophic” by a Ukrainian official.
China’s ambitions, as outlined in the leaked report, are more advanced, aiming to disrupt the interconnected clusters of satellites that communicate with each other, relay signals to weapons systems, or send back visual and intercepted electronic data.
US military officials have warned of China’s significant progress in developing military space technology, including satellite communications. General B Chance Saltzman, commander of the US Space Force, informed Congress that China is aggressively pursuing counter-space capabilities to achieve its “space dream” of becoming the dominant power beyond Earth’s atmosphere by 2045. China has already deployed 347 satellites, with 35 launched within the past six months, aimed at monitoring, tracking, targeting, and attacking US forces in any potential conflict.
National Security Council, CIA, and Pentagon officials have declined to comment on the matter, and the Chinese government has not yet issued a response.
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