The Foundation for Defense of Democracies issued a Report late last week entitled Time to Designate Space Systems as Critical Infrastructure which cogently outlines the risks associated with space systems (which are basically the same as any other electronic system) in order to designate space systems as the seventeenth critical infrastructure sector.

Space systems are defined in the Report as “the ecosystem from ground to orbit, including sensors and signals, data and payloads, and critical technologies and supply chains.”  The Report outlines the reasons why designating space systems as critical infrastructure is a matter of national security as “the threat from Russia and China is growing. Both those authoritarian powers have placed American and partner space systems in their crosshairs, as demonstrated by their testing of anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities.”

The Report lists recommendations for the Executive Branch, Congress Industry, and Industry and Government Together. Its conclusion is that “the United States needs a more concerted and coherent approach to risk management and public-private collaboration regarding space systems infrastructure.” Space systems have similar risks as any other system—it is just in a different location. These risks need to be addressed similarly to other critical infrastructure sectors.

Photo of Linn Foster Freedman Linn Foster Freedman

Linn Freedman practices in data privacy and security law, cybersecurity, and complex litigation. She is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Financial Services Cyber-Compliance Team, and chairs the firm’s Data Privacy and Security and Artificial Intelligence Teams. Linn focuses her…

Linn Freedman practices in data privacy and security law, cybersecurity, and complex litigation. She is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Financial Services Cyber-Compliance Team, and chairs the firm’s Data Privacy and Security and Artificial Intelligence Teams. Linn focuses her practice on compliance with all state and federal privacy and security laws and regulations. She counsels a range of public and private clients from industries such as construction, education, health care, insurance, manufacturing, real estate, utilities and critical infrastructure, marine and charitable organizations, on state and federal data privacy and security investigations, as well as emergency data breach response and mitigation. Linn is an Adjunct Professor of the Practice of Cybersecurity at Brown University and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Roger Williams University School of Law.  Prior to joining the firm, Linn served as assistant attorney general and deputy chief of the Civil Division of the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Rhode Island. She earned her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law and her B.A., with honors, in American Studies from Newcomb College of Tulane University. She is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Read her full rc.com bio here.