By
Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 2:56 PM on 30th October 2011

Chinese hackers are suspected of grabbing the reins of four US government satellites in 2008 potentially crashing them to Earth or stealing valuable information, more than once.

NASA admits one of the two satellites was temporarily accessed twice in the summer and fall that year, though would not comment on the other.

‘While we cannot discuss additional details regarding the attempted interference, our satellite operations and associated systems and information are safe and secure’ NASA Public Affairs Officer Trent J. Perrotto said in a statement sent to Talking Points Memo.

One close satellite: A satellite photo of Washington, DC’s capitol building is taken by a Landsat-7 satellite, a possible recent victim of cyber hacking

NASA’s admittance of the satellite
breach comes one month before a report by the US-China Economic and
Security Review Commission is released, detailing the attacks which are
consistent with Chinese military writings.

According to the draft report, however, two satellites were infiltrated four times in 2007 and 2008 for 12 or more minutes.

The Terra AM-a which NASA has
acknowledged as attacked, studies earth climate change, in addition to
weather and surface land use.

It has been called the flagship of NASA’s Earth Operating System of satellites.

The
Landsat-7, which is also alleged to have been hacked according to the
report, is another earth-imaging satellite for the US government, which
Mr Perrotto would not comment on.

‘Such interference poses numerous
potential threats, particularly if achieved against satellites with more
sensitive functions,’ an advanced copy of the draft report stated,
according to Bloomberg News.

Multiple attacks: The Landsat 7 satellite is one of the two US satellites suspected of being hacked in 2007 and 2008 for 12 or more minutes

‘Access to a satellite‘s controls could allow an attacker to damage or destroy the satellite.

‘An attacker could also deny or degrade as well as forge or otherwise manipulate the satellite’s transmission,’ the draft report continued.

The satellite Terra Am-1 experienced no damage, theft or security breach despite several minutes of interference by the hackers, according to Mr Perrotto.

Those responsible for the attacks, however, ‘achieved all steps required to command the satellite,’ Mr Perrotto stated.

A satellite station in Spitsbergen Norway is said to contain a common control center for both of the satellites and be the source of the attacks.

The station would serve as an access point for the hackers as it is connected to the public internet and therefore more susceptible than any other control stations — outside Norway — to cyber attacks off the public grid.

Access point: The Svalbard Satellite Tracking Station in Norway is believed to play as access point to recent cyber attacks on US satellites

Despite the breaches consistency with the Chinese writings, the report says ‘these relationships do not prove any government affiliation.’

It admits that the perpetrators obscured their involvement better hiding their identity.

Chinese officials have continually denied any role in cyber attacks.#

According to Mr Perrotto, NASA has since created a ‘working group to establish and implement an agency-wide space protection program.’

They have also notified the Department of Defense responsible for the investigation of satellite operation interference. 

According to Defense Department reports detailed in the draft report, malicious cyber activity rose to 71,661 attacks in 2009, a high in comparison to just 3,651 in 2001.

Attacks this year are expected to hit 55,110, in comparison to 55,812 last year.

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Article source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2055311/Hackers-infiltrate-US-satellites-taken-complete-control-achieving-steps-required-command-satellite.html