Towards Resilient Intrusion Detection in CubeSats: Challenges, TinyML Solutions, and Future Directions

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Fayyaz, Yasamin, Yang, Li, El-Khatib, Khalil
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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_version_ 1866910110095245312
author Fayyaz, Yasamin
Yang, Li
El-Khatib, Khalil
author_facet Fayyaz, Yasamin
Yang, Li
El-Khatib, Khalil
contents CubeSats have revolutionized access to space by providing affordable and accessible platforms for research and education. However, their reliance on Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components and open-source software has introduced significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Ensuring the cybersecurity of CubeSats is vital as they play increasingly important roles in space missions. Traditional security measures, such as intrusion detection systems (IDS), are impractical for CubeSats due to resource constraints and unique operational environments. This paper provides an in-depth review of current cybersecurity practices for CubeSats, highlighting limitations and identifying gaps in existing methods. Additionally, it explores non-cyber anomaly detection techniques that offer insights into adaptable algorithms and deployment strategies suitable for CubeSat constraints. Open research problems are identified, including the need for resource-efficient intrusion detection mechanisms, evaluation of IDS solutions under realistic mission scenarios, development of autonomous response systems, and creation of cybersecurity frameworks. The addition of TinyML into CubeSat systems is explored as a promising solution to address these challenges, offering resource-efficient, real-time intrusion detection capabilities. Future research directions are proposed, such as integrating cybersecurity with health monitoring systems, and fostering collaboration between cybersecurity researchers and space domain experts.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_06411
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Towards Resilient Intrusion Detection in CubeSats: Challenges, TinyML Solutions, and Future Directions
Fayyaz, Yasamin
Yang, Li
El-Khatib, Khalil
Cryptography and Security
Artificial Intelligence
General Literature
Machine Learning
68M25, 68T05, 68M15
D.4.6; C.3; I.2.6
CubeSats have revolutionized access to space by providing affordable and accessible platforms for research and education. However, their reliance on Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components and open-source software has introduced significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Ensuring the cybersecurity of CubeSats is vital as they play increasingly important roles in space missions. Traditional security measures, such as intrusion detection systems (IDS), are impractical for CubeSats due to resource constraints and unique operational environments. This paper provides an in-depth review of current cybersecurity practices for CubeSats, highlighting limitations and identifying gaps in existing methods. Additionally, it explores non-cyber anomaly detection techniques that offer insights into adaptable algorithms and deployment strategies suitable for CubeSat constraints. Open research problems are identified, including the need for resource-efficient intrusion detection mechanisms, evaluation of IDS solutions under realistic mission scenarios, development of autonomous response systems, and creation of cybersecurity frameworks. The addition of TinyML into CubeSat systems is explored as a promising solution to address these challenges, offering resource-efficient, real-time intrusion detection capabilities. Future research directions are proposed, such as integrating cybersecurity with health monitoring systems, and fostering collaboration between cybersecurity researchers and space domain experts.
title Towards Resilient Intrusion Detection in CubeSats: Challenges, TinyML Solutions, and Future Directions
topic Cryptography and Security
Artificial Intelligence
General Literature
Machine Learning
68M25, 68T05, 68M15
D.4.6; C.3; I.2.6
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.06411