SmartSea Advocates For Greater Investment In Maritime Cybersecurity

Technology company argues investment in security needs to keep up with decarbonisation to protect industry

Maritime technology specialist SmartSea is calling on the shipping industry to invest more heavily in cybersecurity, highlighting the high rate of attacks and their associated costs.

According to the Baltic and International Maritime Council, more than 80 per cent of shipowners have experienced a cyberattack in the past three years and the average cost of a maritime cyber attack is estimated at $3.1 million. Despite this, only 31 per cent of maritime companies say they have a high level of cybersecurity preparedness. Phishing remains the most effective attack vector, responsible for 91 per cent of successful breaches in the maritime industry.

“The truth is, cybersecurity still lags behind where it needs to be,” said Simon Fotakis, director of technology sales at SmartSea. “We’re seeing advanced ships with cutting-edge green tech but often connected to weak IT infrastructures that are vulnerable to exploitation, espionage, and sabotage. Many in the maritime industry still treat cybersecurity as a checkbox instead of a core capability. It’s a dangerous disconnect from reality as a single intrusion could cripple a fleet and erase years of progress.”

SmartSea suggests that automation, email systems, laptops, onboard servers and business software are potentially easy targets for attack. These systems are typically connected to onshore networks, providing entry points for attackers.

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