Timing or Synchronization Manipulation - IMP-0014

Timing or Synchronization Manipulation is the deliberate alteration of a spacecraft’s time reference or synchronization state. An adversary may shift the onboard clock or corrupt a trusted timing source. The adversary may also break the temporal alignment between coordinated functions. This mechanism applies when the system uses an altered sense of time or loses required synchronization. It may affect command validation and scheduled activity. It may also affect navigation, communications, or distributed processing. Delaying traffic without changing the system’s time basis is Command and Data Flow Manipulation. Changing a stored schedule or timing setting is Configuration Manipulation. Vector: Illustrative Application Collect: If the objective is Collect, an adversary could introduce controlled clock drift to learn synchronization tolerances and observe when automated or operator responses occur. Pivot: If the objective is Pivot, an adversary could alter onboard time to trigger a scheduled crosslink or communication session with another asset and create an intermediary attack path. Subvert: TIf the objective is Subvert, an adversary could desynchronize sensor inputs and onboard processing so the spacecraft makes decisions from temporally inconsistent information. Seize: If the objective is Seize, an adversary could manipulate system time to invalidate legitimate control sessions and preserve unauthorized access. Disable: If the objective is Disable, an adversary could desynchronize a mission-critical navigation or payload function until the spacecraft can no longer conduct its intended mission or an essential mission function.