In an age when technology appears to rule everything, maritime cyber security has become more crucial than ever for the marine industry. Technologies are required for ship navigation and maintenance, and their effective and secure use is crucial for crew safety.
As maritime technology progresses, electronic operational technology (OT) systems that physically operate the ship are being coupled with advanced information technology (IT) systems. Ships will need to be more cautious as they upgrade their systems to include more complex, electronically controlled components and because IT systems have become vulnerable to attack and outside control.
In this post, we’ll go through the various kinds of cyberattacks in the marine industry and present some best practices to help crew members prepare for attacks and misuse. Mariners could possibly reduce the likelihood of cyber dangers emerging by understanding how and why they happen.
The Role of Cyber Security in the Maritimes Satellite Communication
Satellite communication systems are exposed to a wide range of cybersecurity threats due to their linked nature. To address these risks, strong maritime cybersecurity measures must be implemented.
This includes employing encryption and authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access, regularly updating security measures, and conducting rigorous audits and assessments to uncover flaws and implement effective mitigation strategies. To protect against cyber threats, the maritime sector should undergo rigorous cybersecurity training.
Due to the fact that serious and harmful cyberattacks are becoming more widespread, it is more vital than ever for individuals and organizations operating in the maritime sector to be aware of the dangers and the best measures to mitigate them.
To maintain the safety, security, and optimization of marine operations, marine organizations should get help from satellite providers like IEC Telecom for enhanced telecom cyber security.
Two Types of Cyberattacks in the Maritime Industry
The two main types of cyberattacks that could harm a marine organization or a ship are untargeted attacks and targeted assaults.
Untargeted Attacks:
They hunt for potential cyber weak spots in a huge number of marine-based organizations or ships.
Targeted Attacks:
These are attacks that are explicitly aimed at a marine-based organization or a ship. These attacks are more difficult to counter.
Both of these attacks can use methods routinely used on the internet to find and exploit faults in a ship or a marine organization.
Methods of Cyber Attacks
Following are the kinds of cyberattack methods that attackers or criminals might use.
Malware
Malware is a general term for malicious software that is designed to harm a computer system without the owner’s awareness. Malware is classified into several sorts and names, including spyware, viruses, worms, and trojans. Malware can find and exploit vulnerabilities in your system. Malware is frequently obtained through URLs in emails and from untrustworthy websites.
Phishing
Phishing occurs when an online criminal sends a generic message to a large group of people in the hopes of eliciting a response that would allow them to break into your system or steal sensitive data. They usually do this with the help of emails and request some sort of action, such as clicking a link or providing information.
Water Holing
Creating a fake web page or one that appears to be another website in order to persuade users to share their information is referred to as “water-holing.”
Social Engineering
Hackers will occasionally use social media to contact users in order to persuade them to break regulations or give information that could harm their organization.
Brute-Force
If your password is easy, hackers could utilize tools that attempt to methodically guess it to gain access to your account.
Spear-Phishing
This type of targeted assault is similar to phishing, except that it is targeted at a specific person or company. It attempts to gather information by sending tailored email requests or supplying URLs that harm your system, and it is often harder to detect than traditional phishing.
Supply Chain Disruption:
Fraudsters will occasionally attempt to break into electronic systems before reaching a company or ship.
False Impersonation
Criminals will occasionally impersonate staff or inspectors in order to get access to your vessel’s or organization’s computer systems and steal sensitive data.
Conclusion
The methods outlined above are just a handful of the many ways hackers or criminals could try to infiltrate your ship’s or business’s systems. Because these methods are continually evolving, it is vital to learn how to recognize attempts to hack your systems by spotting anything strange.
IEC Telecom is the leading provider of cutting-edge maritime satellite communication services. IEC Telecom, with years of experience and a solid track record, provides a diverse range of solutions and services developed exclusively to meet the specialized communication needs of marine professionals.
