When one thinks of the maritime industry, they don’t usually associate them with being a cyberattack target. However, in reality, they are increasingly becoming one of the top targets for cyberattacks.
Some of the major reasons for the rise in cyberattacks can be attributed to:
- the rapid digitalization of the industry,
- the use of satellite communication, and
- the increasing dependence on Industrial Control Systems (ICS).
As per a report, attacks on the maritime industry have risen by 900% since 2017.
Moreover, very few businesses in the industry are prepared to prevent cyberattacks. This provides cybercriminals a ripe hunting ground to carry out sophisticated attacks to cripple them.
One of the easiest ways to protect against cyberattacks is to carry out a cyber risk assessment that can help identify the vulnerabilities in the ICS. Once the vulnerabilities have been identified, businesses can take the necessary steps to fix them.
If you haven’t conducted a cyber risk assessment before, then it’s high time you should do it. You might be surprised at some of the things you’ll uncover after the process is done. Here is a list of the ten biggest surprises you might find in your maritime cyber risk assessment.
- You May Have Outdated Equipment Connected to Your OT Networks
You’ll be surprised to find out the number of outdated or unused pieces of equipment connected to your network. Such equipment provides an easy access point to your network and devices for cybercriminals.
Thus, conduct regular audits to find out such devices. Moreover, validate equipment to ensure every device is used and required for daily maritime operations. Devices not in use should be removed from the network, information erased, or even physically removed from the workplace, including ships or port offices.
- You Have More Entry Points to Your Network Than You Think
While you may think you have secure systems in place, there are always additional entry points that can be exploited. Conducting a comprehensive risk assessment to identify all potential vulnerabilities is essential.
You must hire reputed, experienced, and reliable OT security vendors who can carry out a detailed and in-depth assessment of all your networks. This ensures that you completely understand all your entry points to your network. This helps improve your overall security and protects your critical infrastructure from cyberattacks.
- You Have a Higher Risk Than You Think
Maritime cyber risks are often underestimated because of the belief that maritime companies are not targeted by cybercriminals. However, the reality is that maritime companies are just as much of a target as any other type of company.
Thus, it should not come as a surprise when major businesses, such as Carnival Corporation, Vard, and even the International Maritime Organization, have recently been hit by cyber attacks.
Thus, every business or organization, large or small, associated with the maritime industry should have robust cyber security measures in place to thwart such attacks.
- You’re Not as Prepared as You Think
Despite the belief that maritime companies are prepared for cyber attacks, the reality is that many are not. This is often due to a lack of awareness of the risks and a lack of investment in cyber security.
Thus, businesses in the maritime industry should be on top of their cyber security measures. They should be cognizant of the latest cyber threats, hire experienced cyber security experts, and implement the best measures to be better prepared against cyber attacks.
- Your Incident Response Plan Is Not Good Enough
In the event of a cyber attack, it’s important to have a well-defined incident response plan. Unfortunately, many maritime companies do not have a plan in place, or it is not up to date.
To overcome this issue, businesses must regularly carry out security audits and update their incident response plan. This can be done on a monthly, quarterly, or half-yearly basis.
- You’re Relying on Security by Obscurity
Security by obscurity is a dangerous strategy and will not protect you from a determined attacker. Maritime companies often think they are at a lower risk because they are not a well-known target. This is not the case.
- You Have Weak Passwords
One of the most common vulnerabilities is weak passwords. Cybercriminals can easily guess or brute force their way into systems if passwords are not strong.
Thus, businesses must ensure that the passwords used to protect their systems should be complex. They should use a combination of alphabets, numbers, and special characters. Moreover, additional security measures like two-factor authentication should be used to ensure better protection.
- You’re Not Monitoring Your Networks
You can’t protect what you don’t know about, and many maritime companies are not monitoring their networks for malicious activity. This leaves them vulnerable to attacks that could go undetected for some time.
Thus, keep monitoring your intranet and internet connections at all times. This reduces the risk of networks and devices being compromised by cybercriminals.
- You’re Not Patching Your Systems
Another common vulnerability is unpatched systems. Cybercriminals can exploit known vulnerabilities to access systems if they are not patched promptly.
Here are some patch management best practices you must follow to ensure protection against attacks.
- Assign criticality levels to the systems
- Actively look for new patches and vulnerabilities
- Deploy patches based on criticality levels
- Assess and reduce the risk of exempted patches
- Create and implement a patch management policy
- You Have a Lack of Cyber Security Awareness
A lack of cyber security awareness is a major problem in the maritime industry. Employees are often the weakest link when it comes to security and can unwittingly expose the company to risks. Cyber Security Certification, training and awareness programs are essential to mitigating these risks.
Moreover, it is important to conduct training and awareness programs regularly. New threats and methods keep emerging. Thus, employees need to be kept up-to-date on the latest risks. Thus, ensure that training and awareness programs are held at least every month or quarter.
Conclusion
Conducting a maritime cyber risk assessment can be daunting, but it’s essential to identify vulnerabilities and take steps to mitigate the risks. These are the 10 biggest surprises you might find in your assessment. Cyber security is an ongoing process. Reviewing your risks and taking steps to reduce them regularly is essential.
