Threat actors may leverage valid credentials to traverse across spacecraft subsystems, communication buses, or even to access other spacecraft within a constellation, all while avoiding detection. These credentials may include system service accounts, user accounts, maintenance credentials, cryptographic keys, or other authentication mechanisms that grant authorized access. Rather than exploiting vulnerabilities, this technique relies on the reuse or misuse of trusted credentials to move laterally within the space system architecture. When access control boundaries are weak, flat, or poorly enforced, valid credentials can enable attackers to reach restricted functions or domains without raising alarms. This traversal allows evasion of isolation mechanisms and facilitates further actions without triggering traditional anomaly detection tied to unauthorized access attempts.
| ID | Name | Description | STIX Pattern |