THE PRESIDENT’S NATIONAL SECURITY TELECOMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE SATELLITE TASK FORCE REPORT FACT SHEET February 2004 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In January 2003 the Director National Security Space Architect requested that the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee NSTAC consider embarking on a study of infrastructure protection measures for commercial satellite communication SATCOM systems The NSTAC established the Satellite Task Force STF to review and assess policies practices and procedures for the application of infrastructure protection measures to commercial SATCOM networks used for national security and emergency preparedness NS EP communications Specifically the STF was established to 1 review applicable documentation addressing vulnerabilities in the commercial satellite infrastructure 2 identify potential policy changes that would bring the infrastructure into conformance with a standard for mitigating those vulnerabilities 3 consider Global Positioning System GPS timing capabilities during the deliberations 4 coordinate this response with representatives from the National Communications System NCS and others and 5 draft a task force report with findings and recommendations The STF engaged broad and active participation from representatives of NSTAC member companies non-NSTAC commercial satellite owners and operators commercial satellite trade associations Government agencies and technical experts The task force examined all types of commercial SATCOM systems including Fixed Satellite Service Broadcast Satellite Service Mobile Satellite Service and Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service To gain a broad understanding of vulnerabilities the STF compared the difficulty of potential threats against the degree of susceptibility of key elements in these services including the radio frequency links ground segment cyber segment and space segment The STF conducted two surveys to contribute to the task force’s understanding of Federal agency use of commercial SATCOM systems and services for NS EP as well as vulnerabilities in that infrastructure With the assistance of the NCS 14 Federal departments and agencies provided input on their use of commercial satellites and services backup communications plans and anticipated communications requirements As part of its contribution to the STF the Satellite Industry Association surveyed its member satellite operators to provide a voluntary self-assessment of the industry’s vulnerabilities and mitigation techniques currently in use The Federal agencies and satellite operators were very responsive to the surveys providing valuable input to the task force work Although commercial SATCOM is important to NS EP communications the task force found that the Government does not fully optimize or protect the satellite infrastructure Within civil agencies there is a shortage of in-house technical expertise that can integrate satellite communications into their network architectures and agency procurement processes do not allow them to compete effectively for commercial SATCOM capacity In its satellite infrastructure vulnerability analysis the task force found that all components of commercial satellite systems are susceptible to intentional and ES-1 SATELLITE TASK FORCE REPORT unintentional threats to varying degrees While the satellite industry has already taken steps to ensure that the security of the infrastructure adequately protects its commercial business interests individual Federal agencies must decide which additional mitigation techniques to require and whether their missions make it necessary to actively address the less likely and more expensive threats In addition the task force found that the Government does not have an adequate proactive information assurance policy Based on its STF analysis and review of related policy issues the NSTAC recommends in accordance with responsibilities and existing mechanisms established by Executive Order 12472 Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications Functions and other existing authority that the President— · · · Direct the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Director Office of Science Technology Policy to develop a national policy with respect to the provisioning and management of commercial SATCOM services integral to NS EP communications recognizing the vital and unique capabilities commercial satellites provide for global military operations diplomatic missions and homeland security contingency support Fund the Department of Homeland Security to implement a commercial SATCOM NS EP improvement program within the NCS to procure and manage the non-Department of Defense satellite facilities and services necessary to increase the robustness of Government communications Appoint several members to represent service providers and associations from all sectors of the commercial satellite industry to the NSTAC to increase satellite industry involvement in NS EP To guide rapid implementation of these recommendations with specific steps to secure the commercial SATCOM infrastructure for NS EP the task force provided the framework of an action plan for Federal departments and agencies To improve NS EP policy the task force suggested the establishment of a steering committee to examine how commercial SATCOM can best be used in operational support role to the National Response Plan study satellite technology export controls and their impact on the economic stability of the domestic satellite industry and reevaluate domestic and foreign policies on the use of commercial SATCOM in support of NS EP missions To increase the robustness of Government communications through better use of commercial SATCOM the task force suggests the following actions 1 maintain awareness of commercial SATCOM usage within the Federal Government enabling decision makers to rapidly prioritize commercial satellite services required to support NS EP needs 2 extend the purview of the Telecommunications Service Priority to all fixed satellite service operators and extend the Wireless Priority Service model to mobile satellite operators and 3 develop in coordination with the commercial satellite industry a strong and proactive information assurance policy to further reduce the vulnerability of command and control links ES-2 SATELLITE TASK FORCE REPORT Furthermore the task force suggests actions to mitigate vulnerabilities in the SATCOM infrastructure These suggestions include conducting studies on physical vulnerabilities identifying a systemwide hierarchy of physical and cyber vulnerabilities to terrorist attack developing a plan and process to rapidly mitigate interference and developing security requirements commensurate with NS EP communications needs ES-3 SATELLITE TASK FORCE REPORT TASK FORCE MEMBERS OTHER PARTICIPANTS GOVERNMENT PARTICIPANTS AND BRIEFERS Task Force Members Mr Bob Britton STF Co-Chair Mr Shawn Cochran GPS Subgroup Chair Mr Alan Goldey Ms Joan Grewe Mr Peter Hadinger STF Vice Chair Mr Ken Kato Mr Hank Kluepfel Classified Subgroup Chair Mr Ben LaPointe Ms Rosemary Leffler Mr Jon Lofstedt GPS Subgroup Vice Chair Mr William Reiner STF Co-Chair Lockheed Martin BellSouth Raytheon MCI Northrop Grumman Rockwell Collins SAIC Motorola SBC Qwest Boeing Other Industry and Nongovernmental Participants Mr Steve Adelmann Mr Carson Agnew Mr Bob Berry Ms Leslie Blaker Use Subgroup Co-Chair Mr Don Brown Use Subgroup Co-Chair Mr Richard Buenneke Mr David Cavossa Mr D D’Ambrosio Mr Richard Dalbello Dr Al Dayton Vulnerabilities Subgroup Chair Mr Jack Deasy Mr Amir Dehdasty Mr Robert Demers Mr Brian Deobald Mr Pat Fagan Dr Edward Jacques Mr Joe Jankowski Mr Michael Kelley Dr Jack Oslund Ms Kay Sears Mr Robert Steele Mr John Stern Lockheed Martin Mobile Satellite Ventures Loral SES Americom PanAmSat G2 Satellite Solutions The Aerospace Corporation Satellite Industry Association Loral Satellite Industry Association Lockheed Martin Inmarsat Hughes Net Systems Inmarsat Mobile Satellite Ventures Spacenet MITRE Intelsat Intelsat The George Washington University Verestar Boeing Loral Government Participants LCDR R Bronson Armstrong Mr Dale Barr Mr Richard Bourdon Ms Sabrina Crane Mr Tom Falvey Ms Linda Haller1 Mr Mark LeBlanc Maj Robert Licciardi Mr Gabriel Martinez Ms Hillary Morgan National Security Space Architect National Communications System Defense Information Systems Agency General Services Administration National Communications System Federal Communications Commission Office of Science and Technology Policy U S Strategic Command National Communications System Defense Information Systems Agency 1 Ms Haller provided only technical expertise to the STF efforts ES-4 SATELLITE TASK FORCE REPORT Mr Thomas Sellers Mr Steven Shirley Mr Hollace Twining Briefers Dr Edward Conrad Lt Col Timothy Deaver Dr Michael Frankel General Services Administration U S Strategic Command Department of Transportation Mr John Gass Mr David Jarrell Mr Ronald Kidwell Institute of Defense Analyses Office of the Undersecretary of the Air Force Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from an Electromagnetic Pulse Attack National Intelligence Council General Services Administration National Security Agency Mr Michael Ware The Aerospace Corporation ES-5 SATELLITE TASK FORCE REPORT