In early October, Beyond Gravity announced that it had been hit by a targeted cyberattack. On October 15, 2026, an investigation by the Swiss German public broadcaster SRF, reported by swissinfo.ch, added a new element: within both the company and the federal government, China is suspected of being behind it. Officially, no one confirms this. To understand what is really known, facts, statements and hypotheses need to be kept apart.

What has been established

Beyond Gravity makes technology for satellites and launchers and is owned by the Swiss Confederation. Its customers include the European Ariane rocket programme and NASA. The company itself made the attack public, attributing it to a presumed “highly professional” actor. The wording hints at a state-backed operation without saying so explicitly.

According to its own statements, Beyond Gravity has filed a criminal complaint against persons unknown with the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Canton of Bern. The Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) is investigating the incident together with the Federal Office for Cybersecurity. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, which is responsible for political offences such as espionage, has not yet taken action, however.

Parliament has been informed. Green member of the Council of States Maya Graf, who chairs the Control Committee of the Council of States, says the control committees of both chambers have been notified of the data leak and have received a report on the incident. The relevant subcommittee is to determine whether further measures are needed.

What remains a suspicion

The Chinese lead rests on information from SRF, which cites several people involved. According to them, Beyond Gravity and the federal government consider China to be the attacker. But neither the company nor the DDPS is willing to officially confirm this suspicion. Beyond Gravity writes that the origin of the attack is still under investigation.

The extent of the damage also remains unclear. It is not known what information was obtained. According to swissinfo.ch, however, it seems clear that data was stolen, as Maya Graf's remarks also suggest, since she speaks of a data leak.

Why space interests intelligence services

Ralph Weber, a professor at the Europainstitut of the University of Basel whose research focuses in particular on Chinese intelligence services, says he is not particularly surprised. Space has long been a target for intelligence agencies, and the rivalry between the United States and China there is intense, he points out.

The researcher also nuances the common image of espionage. People often picture the theft of major technologies; in practice, he explains, it is often about gathering details. Taken in isolation, they are of little value. Pieced together by an intelligence service, they can become very useful. Swissinfo.ch also recalls that last May, a German couple of Chinese origin was arrested in Germany and accused of espionage, notably in the space sector.

Beyond Gravity, a precedent at Ruag

Beyond Gravity is part of Ruag International AG, a federally owned conglomerate. For the group, history is repeating itself. More than ten years ago, Ruag had already been the victim of a targeted, wide-ranging cyberattack, revealed in 2016. Experts suspected Russia at the time. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland opened criminal proceedings, then suspended them in 2018, having been unable to identify the perpetrators.

The consequences were serious: the Federal Council decided to split up the group. The division working mainly for the Swiss Armed Forces became Ruag MRO. Several units of Ruag International AG were subsequently sold, with the exception of Beyond Gravity.

A delicate political response

Should solid evidence against China emerge, the Federal Council would have to weigh its response. According to Ralph Weber, it is usually cautious: a public accusation could harm foreign policy interests. Switzerland and China have just concluded negotiations on extending their free trade agreement, which has not yet been signed or ratified. Switzerland generally tries to handle espionage cases discreetly, for example by simply letting suspects leave the country, the researcher observes, whereas Germany is increasingly making Chinese espionage operations public.

The attack also comes at a sensitive time for the company. The Federal Council wanted to sell Beyond Gravity, but Parliament opposed this for security reasons. In mid-September, the government discussed options without reaching a decision. According to swissinfo.ch, the cyberattack risks weakening the company during this transition period.

Sources