Jane Edwards 
Jen Sovada, general manager of public sector at Claroty, said securing commercial satellite communications requires a layered approach that addresses both cyber and electronic warfare threats.
As federal leaders and industry stakeholders focus on strengthening operational technology and protecting critical space infrastructure, conversations about cyber resilience continue to gain urgency across government. Those looking to engage further on emerging cyber threats and security strategies can connect with peers and experts at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Cyber Summit on May 21. Register now!
“As space becomes a contested domain, ensuring the resilience of commercial satellite communications is now a core national security issue,” Sovada, chair of Executive Mosaic’s 4×24 Quantum Group, wrote in a commentary published Friday on Federal News Network.
What Are the Strategies to Adopt to Safeguard Satellite Operations?
Sovada, a previous Wash100 awardee, outlined several strategies that policymakers and operators can take to protect commercial satellite communications.
First, she called for hardening ground infrastructure, stating that propulsion systems, network control nodes and ground stations must be strengthened against IT and operational technology cyber and electronic threats.
Second, she highlighted the importance of diversifying providers and waveforms, noting that using multiple satellite operators and communication pathways helps reduce systemic risk and maintain mission-critical continuity.
Third, Sovada emphasized the need for pre-planned operational playbooks to minimize disruption during cyber or electronic attacks, along with policy frameworks that formally recognize commercial satellite communications as critical infrastructure to support regulatory engagement and federal coordination. The Claroty executive also stressed the need for continuous threat monitoring, writing that rapidly evolving cyber and electronic warfare threats require real-time monitoring and threat intelligence sharing.
“These strategies require leadership and coordination across government and private sectors. They are essential to preserve the operational advantages that low-cost, proliferated satellites provide,” she added.
How Should Stakeholders Prepare for the Future of Satellite Security?
Sovada wrote that securing commercial satellite systems goes beyond a traditional IT exercise and represents an OT challenge affecting the physical systems and processes that satellites control and support.
As the Satellite Cybersecurity Act advances, she stated that federal agencies, lawmakers and operators must focus on protections that extend past enterprise networks into the cyber-physical aspects of satellite operations.
Sovada added that safeguarding commercial satellite infrastructure is critical to national security, operational readiness and the resilience of critical infrastructure that relies on space systems.
