The 'Hack-a-Sat 4' competition was organized in order for the American command to diagnose weaknesses in the software of satellite control systems. To this end, the participants of the competition had to break into the Space Force satellite Moonlighter.

The goal is to improve defences against threats to cybersecurity from other powers. The first-place team will win $50,000, the second-place team will win $30,000, and the third-place team will take home $20,000, we read in the Insider.

Space Force Capt. Kevin Bernert told Politico that authorities hoped the competition would attract a wide variety of people skilled in cyber networks. "The long-term impact in that is to understand that you have to bake in cybersecurity - you don't just bolt it on afterwards'.

Under the rules of the contest, hackers are working to break into the Moonlighter satellite to gain access to its data, while also defending their own systems against other teams. Five teams have made it to the final round, including Poland Can Into Space, last year's winning team. Winners of this year's competition will be announced on Sunday. (PAP)

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