CSSSP Level 3: Expert

CSSSP – Certified Space Systems Security Professional (Level III)

Expert Space Cyber Operations (Blue, Red & Purple Team) – CSSSP Level III represents the highest level of professional certification for space cybersecurity practitioners, validating elite expertise in defending and assessing space missions in contested cyber environments.

CSSSP Level III is an expert-level certification focused on advanced space cyber defense and offense operations. It prepares senior practitioners to detect, hunt, exploit, defend, assess, and validate cybersecurity in contested space environments.

This course integrates:

• Blue Team space monitoring, detection, response, and analytics
• Red Team space penetration testing, ethical hacking, and vulnerability exploitation
• Purple Team coordination and adversary emulation
• Space Cyber Test & Evaluation (T&E)

Participants operate across space, ground, network, and mission layers, applying tactical analytics, intelligence fusion, and hands-on adversary techniques.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Conduct advanced space cyber defense operations.
• Perform space monitoring, detection, and threat hunting.
• Execute space penetration testing and ethical hacking.
• Conduct space vulnerability assessment and exploitation.
• Lead incident response in contested space environments.
• Apply open-source space intelligence (OSINT).
• Execute Blue Team and Red Team Cyber T&E for space systems.
• Apply Purple Team tactics to improve mission resilience.
• Perform tactical analytics for space cyber operations.
• Support command-level decision-making during space cyber conflict.

Target Audience

• Senior space cybersecurity professionals
• Blue Team / Red Team / Purple Team leads
• Space SOC leaders
• Military, intelligence, and defense cyber operators
• Space cyber penetration testers
• Incident response and cyber warfare specialists

Prerequisites

• CSSSP Level II (Professional)
• Significant experience in cybersecurity operations, space systems, or cyber warfare

2-Day Expert Course Outline

DAY 1 – BLUE TEAM & DEFENSIVE SPACE CYBER OPERATIONS

Module 1: Advanced Space Security Essentials

Topics

• Contested and denied space environments
• Space cyber operations doctrine
• Cyber-EW-kinetic convergence
• Mission-level cyber defense objectives

Module 2: Space Monitoring and Detection

Topics

• Space telemetry-based detection
• Command and control anomaly detection
• Ground segment and relay monitoring
• Behavioral analytics for space missions
• Deception and honeypots for space systems

Workshop 1 – Space Detection Engineering

• Design detection logic for a satellite mission
• Identify indicators of compromise across segments

Module 3: Space Incident Response & Threat Hunting

Topics

• Advanced threat hunting methodologies
• Mission-impact-driven IR
• Live-orbit response constraints
• Coordinated ground/space response
• Recovery and reconstitution

Workshop 2 – Threat Hunt Execution

• Conduct a guided hunt using simulated space telemetry and logs

Module 4: Space Cyber Defense Operations

Topics

• Blue Team operational playbooks
• Defensive counter-measures
• Resilience, redundancy, and fail-safe design
• Cyber defense during active conflict

Workshop 3 – Blue Team Tabletop

• Defend a space mission under live attack conditions

Module 5: Open-Source Space Intelligence & Tactical Analytics

Topics

• OSINT sources for space cyber operations
• Satellite tracking, launches, and adversary behavior
• Tactical analytics for cyber-space fusion
• Intelligence-driven defense

Workshop 4 – Space OSINT Analysis

• Produce a threat intelligence profile using open-source data

Module 6: Space Cyber T&E – Blue Team

Topics

• Defensive T&E methodologies
• Detection coverage validation
• Control effectiveness testing
• Lessons learned and improvement loops

Exercise – Blue Team Cyber T&E

• Evaluate defensive coverage against known threat scenarios

DAY 2 – RED TEAM, PURPLE TEAM & OFFENSIVE SPACE CYBER

Module 7: Specialized Space Penetration Testing

Topics

• Space-specific attack vectors
• Satellite command and control attacks
• Ground station exploitation
• Supply chain and firmware attacks
• Constraints of ethical space hacking

Module 8: Space Vulnerability Assessment & Ethical Hacking

Topics

• Vulnerability discovery for space systems
• Risk-based exploitation
• Hardware, firmware, and protocol weaknesses
• Responsible disclosure in space missions

Workshop 5 – Space Vulnerability Analysis

• Analyze a space system for exploitable weaknesses

Module 9: In-Depth Network Coverage & Penetration Testing

Topics

• Deep network reconnaissance
• Space network pivoting
• Lateral movement across segments
• Persistence in space-enabled networks

Workshop 6 – Penetration Testing Simulation

• Execute a controlled space network attack path

Module 10: Space Cyber T&E – Red Team

Topics

• Offensive T&E objectives
• Attack scenario design
• Measuring mission impact
• Reporting and remediation guidance

Exercise – Red Team Cyber T&E

• Conduct a red team assessment of a space architecture

Module 11: Purple Team Tactics & Adversary Emulation

Topics

• Red-Blue collaboration models
• Adversary emulation for space threats
• Continuous improvement cycles
• Mission-focused resilience engineering

Workshop 7 – Purple Team Exercise

• Coordinate Red and Blue teams to improve defenses

Module 12: Capstone – Full-Spectrum Space Cyber Operation

Capstone Exercise
Participants execute an end-to-end space cyber operation:

• Red Team attack
• Blue Team detection and response
• Purple Team analysis and improvement
• Executive mission briefing

Examination Description

CSSSP Level III – Expert Exam

• Format:
  • Scenario-based questions
  • Analytical decision questions
  • Operational judgment cases
• Number of Questions: 80
• Duration: 150 minutes
• Passing Score: 80%

Exam Domains

1. Advanced Space Cyber Defense Operations
2. Space Monitoring, Detection & Threat Hunting
3. Space Penetration Testing & Ethical Hacking
4. Vulnerability Assessment & Exploitation
5. Space Cyber T&E (Blue & Red Team)
6. Purple Team Operations & Tactical Analytics

Certification Awarded

Certified Space Systems Security Professional (CSSSP) – Level III (Expert)

Program Positioning

• Level I: Foundations & Architecture
• Level II: Management, Operations & Investigations
• Level III: Expert Blue/Red/Purple Team Space Cyber Operations

CSSSP – Certified Space Systems Security Professional (Level III)

Examination Domains & Certification Information

CSSSP Level III Examination Overview

The CSSSP Level III exam validates expert-level capability in full-spectrum space cyber operations, including Blue Team defense, Red Team offense, Purple Team coordination, and Cyber Test & Evaluation (T&E) in contested and denied space environments.

This exam assesses the candidate’s ability to think tactically, operate adversary-informed defenses, conduct space penetration testing, execute advanced threat hunting, and make mission-critical decisions under active cyber conflict.

Level III is the capstone certification of the CSSSP framework.

Exam Format

• Exam Type: Proctored, closed book
• Question Format:
  • Advanced scenario-based questions
  • Analytical decision questions
  • Blue / Red / Purple Team operational cases
• Number of Questions: 40
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Passing Score: 70%
• Difficulty Level: Expert / Operational / Tactical

CSSSP Level III Exam Domains & Weighting

Domain 1: Advanced Space Cyber Defense Operations (18%)

• Space cyber defense doctrine
• Mission-level defensive strategy
• Cyber-EW-kinetic convergence
• Defensive countermeasures and resilience
• Space SOC operations in contested environments

Domain 2: Space Monitoring, Detection & Threat Hunting (17%)

• Telemetry-driven detection engineering
• Behavioral analytics for space systems
• Threat hunting methodologies
• Deception, honeypots, and anomaly detection
• Detection coverage and effectiveness

Domain 3: Space Penetration Testing & Ethical Hacking (17%)

• Space-specific attack vectors
• Satellite command and control exploitation
• Ground station and relay compromise
• Firmware, protocol, and supply-chain attacks
• Ethical hacking constraints in space missions

Domain 4: Space Vulnerability Assessment & Exploitation (15%)

• Vulnerability discovery and validation
• Risk-based exploitation planning
• Hardware, firmware, and software weaknesses
• Mission impact of exploited vulnerabilities
• Responsible disclosure and remediation

Domain 5: Space Cyber Test & Evaluation (Blue & Red Team) (16%)

• Cyber T&E objectives and methodologies
• Defensive coverage validation (Blue Team)
• Offensive capability assessment (Red Team)
• Measuring mission impact and resilience
• Reporting, lessons learned, and improvement cycles

Domain 6: Purple Team Operations, Tactical Analytics & Intelligence (17%)

• Red-Blue coordination models
• Adversary emulation for space threats
• Tactical analytics and intelligence fusion
• Open-source space intelligence (OSINT)
• Command-level decision support

Scoring & Certification Policy

• Minimum passing score: 80%
• Results reported as Pass / Fail
• Retakes allowed after a defined waiting period
• Certification represents expert-level operational competence

Certification Awarded

Upon successful completion, candidates earn:

Certified Space Systems Security Professional (CSSSP) – Level III (Expert)

CSSSP Credential Progression

Exam Philosophy

The CSSSP Level III exam is designed to evaluate:

• Operational judgment under adversarial conditions
• Ability to defend and attack space systems responsibly
• Expertise in tactical analytics and intelligence-driven operations
• Leadership during active space cyber conflict

This exam does not test basic concepts or introductory material.
It assumes mastery of Levels I and II and focuses on real-world operational decision-making.