How Starlink enhances cybersecurity for Business

When most businesses evaluate their connectivity options, speed and reliability dominate the conversation. However, when significant cyber-attacks cost UK businesses an estimated £27 billion each year *, it’s time to think about using satellite internet (such as Starlink) to boost security.

Starlink isn’t just a connectivity solution. It’s increasingly becoming a strategic cybersecurity asset for organisations.

Infrastructure Independence: Your First Line of Defence

Starlink operates differently to traditional broadband. It connects directly from the terminal to a constellation of low-earth orbit satellites. This means your business data avoids much of the ground infrastructure that attackers can target.

This independence can be helpful. For example, during the 2025 blackouts in Spain and Portugal, Starlink rerouted traffic using Italian ground stations to keep businesses connected.

However, the most resilient business connectivity strategies don’t rely on a single connection type. By combining multiple WAN technologies (Starlink satellite, cellular networks and traditional broadband or fibre), organisations create genuine infrastructure independence.

Each technology employs different architecture and infrastructure:

• Starlink connects using low-earth orbit satellites.
• Cellular technology uses mobile network towers.
• Fibre internet runs through underground cables.

When a cyberattack or equipment failure compromises one path, traffic will reroute through the other connections. This multi-path approach offers what security experts call “defence through diversity.” It removes the single points of failure that attackers often target.

Enterprise Grade Encryption as Standard

All data transmitted across the Starlink network is encrypted end-to-end. This includes communication between your Starlink terminal, the satellites in orbit and SpaceX’s ground stations.

Starlink employs AES-256 encryption, the same standard used by governments and financial institutions worldwide. Additionally, Transport Layer Security (TLS) keeps data safe while it is being sent, while regularly changing keys reduce the risk of a key being compromised.

For businesses that handle sensitive information, several layers of encryption protect your data. This protection starts when the data leaves your premises and continues until it reaches its destination.

Organisations requiring additional security can layer further protection on top of Starlink’s built-in encryption. Enterprise-grade firewalls can provide advanced threat detection, intrusion prevention and granular access controls at the network edge.

For data traveling over public networks, VPN tunnelling creates secure paths. These paths protect traffic from interception. This is especially important for remote sites connecting to headquarters or cloud services. These extra layers work with Starlink’s built-in encryption to create a strong defence that meets the strictest security needs.

Compliance Credentials That Matter

For organisations operating in regulated industries, connectivity compliance isn’t optional. Starlink has achieved certification against two of the most rigorous security standards:

• ISO/IEC 27001 – the international benchmark for information security management systems. This certification confirms that Starlink maintains systematic processes for managing sensitive data and protecting it from cyber threats.
• PCI-DSS Compliance – essential for any organisation handling payment card data. This compliance demonstrates that Starlink meets the strict security requirements set by major payment card brands.

These certifications demonstrate that independent auditors have validated the security posture of your connectivity provider. This is particularly important for enterprise customers, regulators, and insurers.

Continuous Monitoring and Rapid Updates

One of the less visible, but most significant security advantages of Starlink, is SpaceX’s centralised network monitoring capability. Unlike traditional Internet Service Providers managing diverse legacy equipment across thousands of locations, Starlink’s uniform infrastructure allows for:

• Real-time threat detection across the entire network.
• Simultaneous security updates pushed to all equipment globally.
• Rapid vulnerability patching without waiting for customer cooperation or technician visits.

This capability allows SpaceX to identify and address potential vulnerabilities faster than many traditional providers could even assess the threat.

Building Resilience into Your Security Strategy

The most robust Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans incorporate resilience, the ability to maintain operations when primary systems are compromised. Starlink serves this purpose exceptionally well.

By deploying Starlink alongside more traditional WAN technologies, organisations can ensure continuous secure connectivity even when:

• Terrestrial networks are compromised by cyberattack
• Physical infrastructure is damaged
• Local internet exchanges experience outages
• DDoS attacks overwhelm primary connections

Combined with SD-WAN solutions like Peplink/ Fortinet, Onwave helps customers like to easily switch between terrestrial and satellite connections whilst keeping the same security policies for both types of connections.

Practical Recommendations for Secure Starlink Deployment

While Starlink provides robust built-in security, maximising protection requires professional implementation. Here’s what we do and recommend:

• Replace default credentials immediately – as with any network equipment, change default passwords on your equipment during initial setup.
• Consider enterprise-grade edge security – for businesses with heightened security requirements, pairing Starlink with a business-grade firewall provides additional protection and enables advanced features like intrusion detection and network segmentation.
• Implement network segmentation – separate networks for critical business systems, IoT devices and guests onto different VLANs to contain potential breaches.
• Enable Network Access Control to limit access to these specific local networks, through the use of certificate-based authentication.
• Enable multi-factor authentication – Starlink’s and vendor portals support Multi-Factor Authentication, (ensure you have this enabled).
• Conduct regular security audits – include your Starlink deployment in your broader security assessment programme.

The Managed Service Advantage

Deploying Starlink securely requires expertise that extends beyond plugging in a terminal. As an Authorised Starlink reseller, Onwave provides managed deployment services that include:

• Professional site surveys to optimise installation
• Integration with existing network infrastructure and security policies
• Centralised billing
• Ongoing monitoring and support
• Coordination with your IT security team

This managed approach ensures that Starlink enhances rather than complicates your security posture.

Looking Ahead

As Starlink continues to expand its constellation (now standing at more than 8,000 satellites) and introduces next-generation capabilities including Starshield for government applications, the security capabilities will only strengthen.

For UK businesses evaluating their connectivity and cybersecurity strategies together, Starlink represents a compelling option that addresses both requirements simultaneously.

Ready to explore how Starlink can strengthen your organisation’s cybersecurity posture?

Contact Onwave to discuss a secure, managed Starlink deployment tailored to your business requirements.

Onwave is an authorised Starlink reseller providing managed satellite connectivity solutions across the UK. We specialise in connectivity for construction, rail, defence, and critical national infrastructure.

You can find more information on Onwave’s Starlink offering here.

* Source: GOV.UK – UK Government-commissioned research (KPMG)