Security in space information networks

Space information networks were proposed to broaden the observation area and realize continuous information acquisition using satellites and high altitude platform stations. Space information networks are able to enhance detection and transmission capabilities compared to the current single Earth observation satellite. Although lots of technical work has been done concerning the space network architecture and protocols, the security issues have not been investigated well. In this article, we focus on the security problems in space information networks from four perspectives, that is, secure handoff, secure transmission control, key management, and secure routing. Existing works, together with their challenges and open problems, are discussed, and our proposed scheme is introduced. Overall, this article aims to help readers understand the motivation, problem formulation, and solutions regarding security issues on space information networks.