Adversaries correlate discovered component and software versions with public and private vulnerability sources to assemble a ready exploit catalog. Inputs include CPE/CVE mappings, vendor advisories, CWE-class weaknesses common to selected RTOS/middleware, FPGA IP core errata, cryptographic library issues, and hardware stepping errata that interact with thermal/power regimes. They mine leaked documents, demo code, bug trackers, and community forums; pivot from ground assets to flight by following shared libraries and tooling; and watch for lag between disclosure and patch deployment. Even when a vulnerability seems “ground-only,” it may expose build systems or update paths that ultimately control flight artifacts.
| ID | Name | Tiering | Description | NIST Rev5 | ISO 27001 | Onboard SV | Ground | |
| CM0008 | Security Testing Results | Penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, fuzzing, code analysis, adversarial testing, and other security assessment activities are essential for validating the security posture of space systems. However, the artifacts generated by these activities are themselves sensitive mission information requiring protection. Security testing artifacts may include final reports, raw scanner output, working notes, exploit code, proof-of-concept scripts, packet captures, RF recordings, screenshots, logs, memory or core dumps, test credentials, command sequences, telemetry mappings, architecture diagrams, test configurations, remediation records, and copies of software or data collected during testing. Security testing artifacts may reveal exploitable weaknesses, attack paths, security-control gaps, spacecraft and ground-system interfaces, command and telemetry behavior, link characteristics, safety interlocks, test accounts, and system-specific vulnerability conditions. Detailed evidence identifying an exploitable weakness, affected interface, and validated attack method may provide an adversary with much of the information needed to reproduce an attack. Security testing results shall be categorized, marked, handled, stored, transmitted, shared, retained, and disposed of according to their information classification, CUI category, proprietary restrictions, contractual requirements, and mission sensitivity. Protection shall address both unauthorized disclosure and unauthorized modification, because alteration or deletion of test results could conceal vulnerabilities, misrepresent remediation status, or undermine security decisions. Access shall be limited by role and need to know throughout the artifact lifecycle, beginning when the data is generated and continuing through authorized disposition. | AC-3(11) CA-8 CA-8(1) CM-4 CP-4 IR-3 IR-3(1) IR-3(2) IR-6(2) RA-5 RA-5(11) SA-11 SA-11(3) SA-11(5) SA-4(5) SA-5 | A.8.4 A.8.9 A.5.29 A.5.30 A.8.8 7.5.1 7.5.2 7.5.3 A.5.37 A.8.29 A.8.30 | ||||
| CM0007 | Software Version Numbers | Software version information for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), open-source software (OSS), firmware, operating systems, libraries, middleware, bootloaders, software-defined radios, and other software-enabled components used in spacecraft and ground systems must be protected from unauthorized or unnecessary disclosure. Exact component versions can allow adversaries to correlate an identified product or library with public vulnerability databases, vendor advisories, exploit repositories, known configuration weaknesses, and software-specific backdoor or supply-chain opportunities. Version information may be exposed directly through telemetry fields, network and service banners, diagnostic commands, management interfaces, error messages, log outputs, crash reports, configuration files, package manifests, filenames, firmware headers, debug symbols, update metadata, and publicly released documentation. Versions may also be inferred indirectly through protocol behavior, command responses, file hashes, default configurations, timing characteristics, or software-specific error conditions. These disclosure paths should be identified and controlled according to mission risk. Authoritative version information must remain available through controlled mechanisms to authorized developers, maintainers, operators, assessors, and incident responders. CM0007 is intended to limit unauthorized disclosure of exact software versions, not to eliminate internal software identification, configuration tracking, or diagnostic capability. Version-number protection increases the effort required for adversary reconnaissance but does not prevent active fingerprinting or mitigate vulnerabilities present in the software. | AC-3(11) CM-2 SA-11 SA-5 SA-8(29) | A.8.4 A.8.9 7.5.1 7.5.2 7.5.3 A.5.37 A.8.29 A.8.30 | ||||
| CM0005 | Ground-based Countermeasures | Ground-based countermeasures protect the terrestrial capabilities that develop, launch, command, monitor, operate, secure, and sustain space missions. These capabilities may be distributed across mission-owned systems, contractor environments, external partners, and commercial service providers. Because ground segment architectures and responsibilities vary, cybersecurity protections should be selected through threat-informed analysis of the mission functions being performed rather than through indiscriminate application of a single control set. The SPARTA Ground Segment Cyber Defenses guidance provides an interactive functional decomposition that maps ground segment function groups to applicable Defense-in-Depth sub-layers and countermeasure targets. The supporting report, VTR-2026-00702 Rev A, Ground Segment Cyber Defenses and Risk-Based Tiering, provides the methodology, definitions, and risk-tier rationale. The accompanying Ground Segment Cyber Defenses Excel Workbook consolidates the function mappings and Baseline and Enhanced countermeasure guidance into a resource that can be tailored to a specific mission architecture. | SPARTA Ground Segment Cyber Defenses guidance | None | ||||