GMO Cybersecurity by Ierae, Inc. (Representative Director & CEO: Makoto Makita; hereinafter “GMO Cybersecurity by Ierae”)(*1), a subsidiary of GMO Internet Group, Inc., will exhibit a booth in the “Aerospace Village” — the space cybersecurity-focused area — at “DEF CON 34,” the world’s premier security conference, held in Las Vegas, USA from August 6–9, 2026 (local time). This year’s exhibit lets visitors operate a PC themselves and watch a mini-satellite and mini-antenna respond in real time, safely experiencing four satellite attack scenarios, including satellite communication interception and spoofed command transmission. Following its debut as the first Asian company to exhibit in 2025, this marks the company’s second consecutive year of participation, through which it will share Japan-originated technology and expertise in space cybersecurity with the world.
(*1) GMO Cybersecurity by Ierae, Inc. is a consolidated subsidiary of GMO Internet Group, Inc.
【About “DEF CON” and “Aerospace Village”】(https://www.aerospacevillage.org/)
“DEF CON” is one of the world’s largest international events, bringing together cybersecurity professionals such as engineers, researchers, and government officials. Held annually in the United States since 1993, this long-running event has contributed to the growth of, and exchange within, the global cybersecurity community. It features cybersecurity information exchange, presentations on hacking techniques, and “CTF” (*2) contests that test cybersecurity skills, making it one of the most important and influential events in the cybersecurity industry.
DEF CON is divided into specialized areas called “Villages.” Among them, “Aerospace Village,” launched in 2019, is a dedicated area for space and aviation cybersecurity and has become a popular fixture every year.
(*2) CTF stands for “Capture The Flag,” a contest format in the field of cybersecurity. Our vulnerability research team, “GMO Ierae,” has won the “Cloud Village CTF” for three consecutive years, and in 2026 plans to compete in the “Cloud Village CTF,” “IoT Village CTF,” and “Blue Team CTF.”
Reference: https://group.gmo/news/article/10114/
【Hands-on exhibit offering a simulated satellite hacking experience】
The biggest feature of this year’s exhibit is that visitors can operate a PC themselves and watch a mini-satellite and mini-antenna move in front of them while experiencing simulated satellite hacking. By combining live hardware demonstrations with a satellite simulator, the exhibit recreates — within a safe, educational environment — representative attack scenarios that satellite systems may face, including interception of satellite communications, abnormal satellite behavior caused by spoofed commands, falsification of satellite status data, and impacts on a constellation caused by unauthorized orbital changes.
Through hands-on experience, visitors can gain an experiential understanding of the conditions under which cyber threats against satellite systems arise, the difficulties of defending against them, and why satellite defense is challenging — including the constraints and issues that differ from ground-based IT systems.
Beyond dialogue among experts, GMO Cybersecurity by Ierae aims to use this hands-on content to broaden interest in and understanding of this new field among students and young engineers who are just beginning to engage with space security.
■Booth Overview
| Event Name | “DEF CON 34” |
|---|---|
| Dates | August 6–9, 2026 |
| Venue | Las Vegas Convention Center (3150 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89109) |
| Booth Number | Please refer to the map near the venue entrance. |
|---|---|
| Admission | Purchase a DEF CON admission badge at the entrance of the Las Vegas Convention Center, then head to “Aerospace Village.” DEF CON admission badges can also be purchased online at the site below. “DEF CON 34” Las Vegas Convention Center advance registration: https://us.shop.defcon.org/products/def-con-34-las-vegas-convention-center |
【Future Outlook】
GMO Cybersecurity by Ierae intends to continue developing this content as training and talent-development material for the space security field.
We believe that a hands-on educational environment combining live hardware with a simulator offers a practical learning opportunity that classroom study alone cannot provide — not only to professionals already active on the front lines, but also to engineers who will go on to work in space security.
This content has also been realized in collaboration with a research team led by Professor Daehee Jang of Kyung Hee University in South Korea, our joint research and joint-exhibition partner. We believe this kind of cross-border cooperation will become an important foundation for developing cybersecurity talent in the future.
Through its participation in “DEF CON 34” and “Aerospace Village,” GMO Cybersecurity by Ierae will continue to share Japan-originated knowledge and technology with the world in the next-generation field of space security, while contributing to the development of space security talent and to the trust and safety of space utilization.
For our track record and case studies related to space security, please see:
https://gmo-cybersecurity.com/cs/lp_space-cyber-security
【About GMO Cybersecurity by Ierae】（https://gmo-cybersecurity.com/）
GMO Cybersecurity by Ierae is a professional cybersecurity company organized around Japan’s largest group of white-hat hackers. Guided by our corporate philosophy of “turning the conviction to help people into the power to protect it,” we will continue to strengthen Japan’s cybersecurity through cutting-edge technology and practical education. Aiming to bring “the skills of the world’s best white-hat hackers closer to everyone,” we provide comprehensive cybersecurity services spanning vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, security consulting, SOC services, and forensic investigation.
