Securing the Cyberspace, All the Way From Earth to Outer Space

the Internet has reached basically all corners of the Earth — and not just its surface. Being online onboard an airplane is already old news, and even the International Space Station has a connection to the Web. Technology is rapidly expanding and space exploration agencies are already getting ready to move on and get other planets in our solar system connected. The UAE is also joining other great nations into space with the UAE Mission 1 that is set to take the Emirati prime astronaut Hazza Al Mansoori to the International Space Station (ISS) on September 25 of 2019.

Space development and exploration is actively driven by advanced technology and it is important that the industry remains protected. Today, when cyberattack in normal daily life can be costly and lead to extreme consequences, similar threats could be even more devastating in the space industry. As a future looking company, Kaspersky has recently announced its new partnership with the Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, which is the same place Hazza Al Mansoori received his high level space training. The company is set to hold special training for cosmonauts, as well as IT specialists at the center, to educate them on the current cybersecurity landscape.

Amir Kanaan, the managing director of Kaspersky for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, who will be attending the historical Soyuz launch from Baikonur, Kazakhstan commented: “We’re are very proud of UAE’s space vision and achievements and we’re wishing Hazza Al Mansoori a safe and steady trip to space. This monumental event is only the first step for the UAE space programme and we wish them continuous success on all their future missions.”