LEO satellite communications provide connectivity through satellites in low Earth orbit, relatively close to the planet compared with traditional geostationary satellites. Their proximity can support low-latency links, making them useful for internet access and time-sensitive applications such as remote control, telemetry, and video transmission.
In cyber security, these links can be a critical dependency: if a service is unavailable, restricted, or disrupted, connected systems may lose communications without being hacked or compromised. For example, a drone that relies on one satellite provider for commands may lose control connectivity if that link fails. Defenders should map dependencies, test degraded and failover modes, and plan alternative communications paths where practical.