Cysec

Core business

CYSEC is a Swiss cybersecurity company founded in 2018, specialising in the protection of space assets and critical infrastructure. The company develops high-performance security software for satellite communications networks, ground segment systems, and edge computing environments exposed to hostile threat landscapes. CYSEC addresses the full data lifecycle: data in transit, at rest, and in use, through confidential computing, hardware-rooted trust, and encrypted communications. Operating in a sector where geopolitical tensions translate directly into cyberattacks on space infrastructure, CYSEC focuses on commercially deployable security tools that meet the operational constraints of space systems: limited compute resources, high-latency links, and stringent availability requirements. CYSEC is also the creator of CYSAT, the largest European conference dedicated to cybersecurity for the space industry.

Products and services

CYSEC's ARCA product portfolio covers three lines. ARCA Trusted OS is a hardened, Linux-based operating system combined with a secure Kubernetes orchestrator, providing a trusted runtime for containerised workloads on bare metal, cloud VMs, and edge nodes, including on-orbit platforms. It implements confidential computing via hardware-based isolated execution environments. ARCA SATCOM is a high-performance VPN appliance optimised for satellite links, integrating Split-TCP PEP acceleration and SD-WAN capabilities to maintain security without degrading throughput on GEO, MEO, and LEO connections. ARCA SATLINK delivers secure, software-defined satellite data link management for ground and space segment operators

Technical means

CYSEC's engineering team combines expertise in cryptography, aerospace software, and systems security. Core technical capabilities include confidential computing (hardware enclave-based isolation), PKI and key management, secure container orchestration under Kubernetes, TCP/IP performance enhancement for high-latency satellite links, and software-defined networking. CYSEC participates in EU-funded R&D programmes, including Horizon Europe projects CROSSCON (IoT security stack), FLUIDOS (decentralised edge OS), and COGNIFOG (AI-empowered edge security), alongside partnerships with organisations such as ESA, CEA-Leti, Utimaco, Space Applications Services, and FENTISS

Main customers

CYSEC's primary customers are satellite operators, teleport operators, and critical infrastructure organisations requiring secure, high-performance connectivity over satellite links. ARCA SATCOM is qualified and deployed by operators including HELLAS-SAT, Thuraya (Yahsat), and Viasat, and is certified by CNES. It is also deployed by enterprise and institutional users operating Starlink and other LEO/GEO networks across sectors including energy, maritime, defence, and government. Regional deployments span the Middle East (Saudi Net Link) and Africa (Space Engineering Kenya). ARCA SATLINK serves ground segment operators and system integrators managing secure satellite data link operations.

Major space projects

CYSEC has been awarded multiple contracts by the European Space Agency. Under ESA's ARTES 4S programme (Space Systems for Safety and Security), CYSEC developed end-to-end protection of governmental data exchanged over commercial satellite links, in collaboration with armasuisse's Cyber Defense Campus. Under a subsequent ESA GSTP contract, CYSEC developed and qualified an on-board TMTC security library against the AEROS satellite's flight software environment, in partnership with Thales Edisoft Portugal. CYSEC also participated in ESA's PUSH commercialisation programme, deploying ARCA SATLINK to satellite operators requiring CCSDS SDLS-compliant ground-to-space link security. CYSEC is the creator of CYSAT, the largest European conference on space cybersecurity, where ESA's OPS-SAT vulnerability was publicly demonstrated in 2023. CYSEC also participates in Horizon Europe projects CROSSCON and FLUIDOS addressing edge and IoT security.