All techniques
REC-0005.03
ST0001Reconnaissance
sub-technique

Proximity Operations

Parent: REC-0005

Description

In proximity scenarios, an adversary platform (or co-located payload) attempts to observe emissions and intra-vehicle traffic at close range, RF side-channels, optical/lasercom leakage, and, in extreme cases, electromagnetic emanations consistent with TEMPEST/EMSEC concerns. Physical proximity can expose harmonics, intermodulation products, local oscillators, and bus activity that are undetectable from the ground, enabling reconstruction of timing, command acceptance windows, or even limited protocol content. In hosted-payload or rideshare contexts, a poorly segregated data path may permit passive observation of TT&C gateways, crosslinks, or payload buses.

Mappings

EU regulation articles

  • eu-space-actArt. 85(1)
    addresses
    moderate
    direct

    Crosslink eavesdropping is within 85(1)'s scope — the cryptographic concept must consider all space-segment links including inter-satellite paths.

  • nis2Art. 21(2)(h)
    addresses
    moderate
    inferred

    Art. 21(2)(h) crypto policy does not interdict proximity emanations and side-channel observation; the operative mitigation is physical shielding and segregation. Addresses (domain relevance).

ENISA controls

  • Power masking prevents partial-key inference from electromagnetic leakage, which is central to the proximity TEMPEST/EMSEC scenarios this technique exploits.

Cross-reference controls

SPARTA countermeasures

Cite as SafeMode Space, REC-0005.03 (SPARTA v3.2).

Built 2026-07-25 from 216 techniques, 334 regulation articles, 125 ENISA controls, 2,610 framework controls, and 90 countermeasures.