As the technology is developing, its inclusion in various spheres of the world is inevitable. So does the risks associated with it. One such sphere where the concern of cybersecurity is growing day by day is – Maritime or Offshore Industry.
As the maritime industry is more and more expanding its dependence upon cyber technologies and computer systems, the matter of cybersecurity is also evolving as a major issue for the offshore industries.
First of all, we need to understand how maritime industries are connected with computer-based systems, and what are the major risks regarding the referred field?
The Relation Between Maritime Industries and Cybersecurity
Today, as the global maritime sector is expanding and developing, it is getting more and more dependent upon digitalization that constitutes steps like the integration of operations and automation. With the help of these digital systems, nowadays, maritime industries, via offshore ships, managing most of the operational works by computerized systems.
Also, these digital networks play an important role in connecting these offshore ships or industries with the real-time happenings of the onshore world. Thus, these digital data comprises all sorts of information about the onshore ships and can provide much crucial information that may be proved critical in the regard of this sector.
This can be the information of the exact location, situation, fuel level, number of onboard people, exact time of port arrival, etc. in concern with the vessels.
Thus, with access to this crucial information, cyber hackers and penetrators may get a chance to target the ship for a cyber-attack. Many such instances are creating buzz recently in which ignorance and lack of knowledge/ attention regarding the offshore cybersecurity are used by some to promote their criminal activities offshore. It can be really dangerous for these industries.
Maritime and Offshore Cyber Risk Factors
What are the factors involved in maritime or offshore cyber risks?
1. Operating System Hacks
Today, maritime industries are relying more on information and communications technology, a digital hacking of its operating system can provide all the crucial information of the offshore vessels. These can be some company- sensitive details like- dynamic positioning and navigation of the ship, Crew terminals, GPS system of the ship, etc.
2. Exploiting Vulnerabilities
As a digital hack of the mariner operating system can easily provide some really crucial factors that come with high vulnerabilities, a cybercriminal can exploit these vulnerable details.
3. Potential Losses
The damage caused by the penetration and hacking of these vulnerable details and further its exploitation or misuse as per the intentions of the criminal can cause so many dangerous prospects for the mariner industries as well as the onboard crew which includes operational dysfunctions, enormous economic loss, damage in terms of reputation and even loss of life.
Takeaway
As in the past few years, many instances of such breaches of cybersecurity offshore in the maritime industries came into light, proper measures and actions regarding Marine Cybersecurity should be taken by the maritime industries to ensure their protection from any such cyber-attack.
