Mattias Wallén, CISO at the Swedish Space Corporation, is a cybersecurity expert with a career spanning over three decades, including roles at MUST and the Swedish Armed Forces. He joined Truesec Studio for a discussion with Truesec founder Marcus Murray and Mats Hultgren, Director of Operations CSIRT, to explore the critical challenges of securing space systems. In this video, they delve into strategies for protecting satellites and ground stations from emerging cyber threats.
Space security is an increasingly critical concern, demanding expertise in both cybersecurity and space technology. Many satellites still operate on outdated hardware and software, making them highly vulnerable—not just to state actors like Russia, China, and Iran but also to individuals with software-defined radios. As we expand deeper into space, communication delays and security complexities grow, particularly in deep space networks. Addressing these challenges is essential to safeguarding our space systems.
To strengthen our security, we rely on Truesec as our SOC partner to monitor our laptops—an outsourced function that would otherwise require 10 to 12 full-time staff, a cost-prohibitive option. This approach allows us to maintain an efficient balance: external monitoring is outsourced, while internal management remains in-house.
We believe in long-term partnerships but also value the flexibility to adapt. A key reason we chose you is that we retain ownership of our data. This ensures that if we ever decide to switch providers, we remain in control—no need to request data transfers. In today’s landscape, collaboration isn’t just beneficial; it’s a strategic imperative. No one can secure space alone.
Mattias Wallén, CISO Swedish Space Corporation