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Cover image for Orbisect: A Cybersecurity Toolkit for Satellite Protection and Threat Simulation
Aliyu Egwa usman
Aliyu Egwa usman

Posted on • Originally published at Medium

Orbisect: A Cybersecurity Toolkit for Satellite Protection and Threat Simulation

The first open satellite cybersecurity toolkit for CCSDS protocol protection
🌌 Why Space Needs Cybersecurity Now

Satellites are no longer isolated systems floating in space β€” they’re part of an interconnected digital battlefield. As more agencies, universities, and companies launch CubeSats and LEO constellations, the risk of cyberattack on space assets grows.

From GPS spoofing to remote command injection, attackers can exploit unprotected communication channels. And yet, most satellites still use unencrypted CCSDS streams and rely on aging, manual defenses.

Enter Orbisect.
πŸ›°οΈ What Is Orbisect?

Orbisect is a cybersecurity and monitoring toolkit purpose-built for satellites, CubeSats, and ground stations. It decodes command streams, detects malicious activity in real time, and secures critical data using post-quantum encryption.

Developed for research, defense, and education, Orbisect is fully modular, closed-source, and demo-ready.

πŸ”— Live Demo β†’ orbisectdefense.mooo.com
βš™οΈ How It Works

At its core, Orbisect integrates:

βœ… CCSDS Packet Analyzer
Live decoding of command/telemetry streams using GNU Radio + scapy.
🧠 AI-Driven Anomaly Detection
Isolation Forest + DBSCAN models detect unusual telemetry patterns by NORAD ID.
πŸ” Quantum-Resistant Uplink Simulation
Secure command encryption using Rust and CRYSTALS-Kyber (via liboqs).
πŸ§ͺ Threat Simulation Sandbox
Simulate jamming, spoofing, command takeover in Systemd +Docker+python
πŸ“Š Interactive Dashboard
Orbit tracking, anomaly timelines, map views, exportable forensics, and alerts.
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🎯 Who Is It For?

Universities running CubeSat missions
Military space security teams
Aerospace cybersecurity labs
Independent researchers and students
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If you manage or simulate spacecraft operations, Orbisect gives you visibility, defense, and testing β€” all in one toolkit.
πŸ›‘οΈ Why It’s Different

Unlike static tools, Orbisect is:

πŸ”„ Real-Time: Monitors live telemetry via SDR or simulator.
πŸ”¬ Detect + Defend: Uses ML for anomaly detection, not just logging.
🧬 Post-Quantum Ready: Integrates CRYSTALS-Kyber via Rust FFI.
πŸ’‘ Sandboxed: Safely simulate attacks in a Systemd, Python and Dockerized environment.
πŸ“¦ Deployable: Fully Systemd deploys with SQLite and FastAPI backend.
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πŸ“ˆ Roadmap: What’s Next?

Federated satellite threat exchange
Blockchain-signed log verification
OTA firmware anomaly forensics
AI-generated threat response playbooks
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πŸŽ“ Want to Try It?

πŸ›°οΈ Demo Site: https://orbisectdefense.mooo.com
πŸ“₯ Request Access: A request button built into the demo
πŸ“§ Contact: aliyuhaydal9(@gmail.com
πŸ“„ White Paper + User Guide available upon request

β€œSpace should not be the next frontier for cybercrime. Orbisect ensures it won’t be.”
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