42 Journal of Contemporary Studies, Vol. IX, No.

2, Winter 2020

MARITIME CYBERSECURITY: VULNERABILITIES

AND COUNTER MEASURES

Zaheema Iqbal & Muhammad Khurram Khan

Abstract
In the era of technological advancements and digitization, the
security phenomenon encompasses both physical and digital
paradigms. The recent developments in cyber security domain
reveal an increased number of cyberattacks on critical
infrastructures, organizations, and industries. The maritime
industry, being the critical infrastructure of any nation, is no
exception to it, which is also vulnerable to cyberattacks. With
terminals, vessels, ships, transport operators, ports and any other
interconnected and integrated critical infrastructure are prone to
cyberattacks. This paper discusses the important concepts such as
‘maritime’ and ‘cyber security in maritime industry’ and explains
the utmost significance of cyber security at sea both on land and on
board. It further discusses the major global cyber security incidents
to determine vulnerabilities in maritime industry and also
highlights challenges faced by maritime stakeholders amidst the
COVID-19. Finally, this paper looks into existing cyber security
measures and guidelines in the maritime industry.

Keywords: Maritime, Cybersecurity, Cyberthreats, Maritime Cyber

Security, Covid-19

Introduction

T
he maritime sector is known as ‘reactive’ in terms of setting
regulations and standards based on catastrophic incidents. Citing an
example in this context would be the sinking of ‘RMS Titanic’ which
clashed with an iceberg during her first journey to New York City from
Southampton, United Kingdom on April 15, 1912.1 The Titanic was


Senior Research Associate at National Institute of Maritime Affairs, Bahria
University Islamabad. Email: [email protected]

The founder and CEO of the Global Foundation for Cyber Studies and
Research. Email: [email protected]
1 Charles D. Michel, Paul F. Thomas, and Andrew E.Tucci, “Cyber Risks in the
Marine Transportation System, The US Coast Guard Approach,” 2009,
Maritime Cybersecurity 43

believed by the world to be indestructible, and it departed on her first trip

having minimum lifejackets and lifeboats for the crew. It is noteworthy to
mention that the shortage of safety and security equipment wasted more
than 1500 lives.2 As a result, the global maritime community stepped
forward and initiated the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention in 1913
to lay down shipping practices and regulations for international seafaring
vessels.3 The next year brought together world maritime leaders in 1914,
who mandated maritime safety requirements including capacity, loading,
durability, lifeboat building requirements, and availability of lifejackets to
every person onboard.4
In the context of cyber threats, global maritime community usually
acts in reaction to the unprecedented event, which happens in cyber
domain. There is no doubt that maritime cyberattacks are increasing than
the maritime community believed due to unregulated attacks.5 It is largely
due to the fact that ships of any country are foreign vessels and crewed by
foreigners.6 For instance, the US Department of Transportation’s Maritime
Administration Office of Financial and Rate Approvals released a report,
which analyzed the leading five port concentration areas in the US: Los
Angeles, Houston, Miami, Newark/New York, and New Orleans.7 They
actually drew special attention to the size of crew and nationalities of
foreign-flag cargo vessels calling at US ports. The notable five flags for
ships, which visit these ports include: Panama, Liberia, Cyprus, Bahamas,
and Malta. The report stated that crewmembers belonging to 123 different

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/CGFAC/Documents/USCG_Paper_MTS_
CyberRisks.pdf
2 Mandy Savage, “Five Safety Lessons Learned from the Sinking of the Titanic,”
EHS Today, April 14, 2015, https://www.ehstoday.com/safety/
article/21916859/five-safety-lessons-learned-from-the-sinking-of-the-titanic
3 Michael Clancy et al., Cruise Ship Tourism (Oxford: CABI, 2017).
4 Jolanta Joszczuk Januszewska, Importance of Cloud-Based Maritime Fleet
Management Software (Springer, 2013), https://link.springer.com/book/
10.1007/978-3-642-41647-7.
5 Don Walsh, “Oceans - Maritime Cyber Security: Shoal Water Ahead?” U.S.
Naval Institute, February 21, 2019, https://www.usni.org/magazines/
proceedings/2015/july/oceans-maritime-cyber-security-shoal-water-ahead.
6 Steven L Caponi, and Kate B Belmont, “Maritime Cyber Security: A Growing
Threat Goes Unanswered,” Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal Vol
27, Issue 1, (2015), 16-18.
7 Alexeis Garcia Perez, Mick Thurlbeck, and Eddie How, “Towards Cyber
Security Readiness in the Maritime Industry: A Knowledge-Based Approach,”
Coventry University, 2017. https://pure.coventry.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/
portal/12219284/Towards_Cyber_Security_Readiness_In_The_Maritime_Indu
stry.pdf.
44 Journal of Contemporary Studies, Vol. IX, No.2, Winter 2020

countries were found on foreign-flagged vessels.8 It shows that with so

many distinct nationalities and stakeholders involved, regulating the
vessels entering a port under cybersecurity standard is arduous to
implement.
Since the developments of information technology, computer
networking, and software systems in maritime industry, various
cybersecurity challenges have emerged with the passage of time. The
information and data, driving the maritime operations and infrastructure
are exposed to cyber criminals and groups who may pose a grave threat
for the security of maritime industry. Within the context of maritime
industry and maritime infrastructure, cybersecurity may be taken as the
safeguarding of electronic networks, communication systems, software,
control algorithms, users, unauthorized access, damage, manipulation and
underlying data within the maritime infrastructure from various
cyberattacks.
In past, traditional threats like piracy were a common risk. In this
regard, physical defense was all understood. On the contrary, cyber-attack
at ships is not well understood thus, less countermeasures were taken.
The latest technology in cyber-attacks and long durations increase cyber
threats on maritime installations. Such maritime cyberattacks result in
theft of information, business disruption, and damage to the reputation,
environment, and goods etc. For instance, Automatic Identification System
(AIS), which is used for vessel tracking and positioning, is not protected
through encryption. Through spoofing, AIS signal can easily be used to
disguise its position and make false navigation. Weak, unencrypted and
authenticated signals are widespread for the determination of location.
University of Texas has undertaken a test in 2013 in which, authentication
was exploited and overpowered by a GPS spoofing device with the use of
inbound signals.9 This test resulted into taking over the $80 Million
vessels’ navigation system effectively.
There are majority of companies worldwide, which are in process
of commercializing blockchain technology in order to enhance virtual
global trade platform.10 There are organizations, which are fostering the

8 Carmen Casado, “Vessels on The High Seas: Using A Model Flag State
Compliance Agreement To Control Marine Pollution,” Scholarly Commons,
March 2, 2005, https://scholarlycommons.law.cwsl.edu/cwilj/vol35/iss2/3/
9 UT News, “UT Austin Researchers Successfully Spoof an $80 Million Yacht at
Sea,” The University of Texas at Austin News, August 7, 2018,
https://news.utexas.edu/2013/07/29/ut-austin-researchers-successfully-
spoof-an-80-million-yacht-at-sea/
10 “Annual Report 2018,” MAERSK, 2018, https://investor.maersk.com/news-
release/news-release-details/annual-report-2018,accessed 29 March 2020.
Maritime Cybersecurity 45

digital platforms for cyber security programs.11 Rolls Royce and Google are
working on autonomous shipping and intelligent systems.12
Nevertheless, interconnected shipping industry calls for effective
operational time and effectiveness of various processes for the transaction
of every business. It is important to remember that development and
progress of cybersecurity goes in parallel with the latest technological
advancements. Nevertheless, insufficient knowledge with regards to
cybersecurity issues and prospective challenges, which maritime
companies face these days. This paper explores the significance of cyber
security in the maritime industry and the major incidents occurred in near
past. It also discusses how important it is to secure maritime
infrastructure from cyber threats in this age of technological
advancements. The first section of paper delineates the definitions of
cyber security, maritime sector, and volume of cyber security in the
maritime industry. The second section looks into incidents of cyberattacks
on maritime infrastructure at global level and explains the cyber threats to
maritime infrastructure during the COVID-19 times. The last section deals
with the cyber security measures in the maritime industry.

Cyber Security Maritime Definitions

Cyber security is a vast and broad term having context-bound, high
variables, often subjective and uninformative definitions. There is
literature available, which states the term cyber security, what does it
mean and how it is placed within different contexts. However, the concise
and broadly accepted definition of cyber security is still absent, which may
capture the multidisciplinary approach.13 The maritime experts are yet to
establish the universal definition of “maritime cyber security.” The
Merriam-Webster defines cyber security as “measures taken to protect a
computer or computer system against unauthorized access or attack.”14
From this definition, maritime cyber security could be defined as “cyber
security measures adopted to protect or safeguard computer assets,
networks on ports, terminals, ships, and computerized equipment which
support maritime regular and classified operations.” Since the

11 Kongsberg Group, “KONGSBERG Launches Kognifai,” Kongsberg Digital, March

12, 2019, https://www.kongsberg.com/digital/resources/news-archive/
2017/kongsberg-launches-kognifai/.
12 Sauli Eloranta, “Automated Maritime Transport: Why, How and When,”
accessed September 24, 2020, https://vayla.fi/documents/20485/
421305/Sauli_Eloranta_180117+Rolls+Royce+v1.pdf/7fe4fb37-f501-4e78-
a1fd-7513b02dcc02.
13 James M. Kaplan, Beyond Cybersecurity: Protecting Your Digital Business
(Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2015).
14 “Cybersecurity,” Merriam-Webster, accessed June 24, 2020,
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cybersecurity.
46 Journal of Contemporary Studies, Vol. IX, No.2, Winter 2020

developments of IT infrastructure, computer networking and software

systems in maritime industry, there are various cyber security challenges,
which emerged in due course of time. Within the context of maritime
industry and maritime infrastructure, cyber security may be taken as the
safeguarding of electronic networks, communication systems, softwares
control algorithms, users, unauthorized access, damage, manipulation, and
underlying data within the maritime infrastructure from various
cyberattacks.15
The cyber threats to the maritime industry are complex and
researchers have identified various vulnerabilities with respect to the
industry. The criminals are not only realizing the potential of the value of
cargo, but they have already started trying ‘blended attacks’; which can be
launched on various occasions and from different locations in which cargo
can be held as ransom. The known cyber vulnerabilities are likely to be
targeted in near future attacks.16 In past, non-traditional security threats
like smuggling, piracy, and human trafficking were common risks and
physical defense was all understood. On the contrary, cyber attack at ships
is not well understood thus, less countermeasures were taken. Such
maritime cyberattacks result in theft of information, business disruption
and damage to the reputation, environment and goods etc.17 The maritime
industry is vulnerable to cyberattacks due to lack of encryption,
standardized training, sheer cost of defending IT infrastructure, awareness
of cyber security, and industry-wide smugness about cybersecurity. Most
of the navigation systems, such as Automatic Identification System (AIS)
and Global Positioning System (GPS) are neither authenticated nor
encrypted, making it a soft target for malicious actors in cyber space.
Merely spoofing or jamming of these two systems may cause collision of
two ships leading to the closing down shipping channel for days or even
weeks.

The Volume of Maritime Cybersecurity Industry

Maritime operations are increasingly relying on information and
Communication Technology (ICT) to optimize its services due to its cost
effectiveness. As there are various components used by different actors
involved the supply chain process of maritime activities, these systems
become vulnerable to cyberattacks. Some of the systems are used by
general public, for instance the port community system to track and book

15 Alexis Garcia-Perez and et al., "Towards Cyber Security Readiness in the

Maritime Industry."
16 Ibid.
17 Kimberly Tam and Jones D Kevin, “Maritime Cybersecurity Policy: The Scope
and Impact of Evolving Technology on International Shipping,” Journal of
Cyber Policy 3, no. 2 (2018): 147-164.
Maritime Cybersecurity 47

shipments.18 On the other hand, a few components are used by port

operators, such as Terminal Operating System (TOS) for controlling
containers movement and storage on ports. Similarly, companies manage,
link, and share internal processes with customers and suppliers through
back-office management and integration system.19 Cyber attackers take
advantage of the complexity of this wide range of softwares. In the world
of cyber space, remote access provides new opportunities to be used and
misused by cyber attackers. The lack of reliable and non-standardized
protocols of data sharing makes it possible for cyber criminals to intervene
and manipulate the cyber space. Moreover, the absence of any
cybersecurity strategy for maritime industry needs to be made as a matter
of priority and urgency. Maritime industry is one of the most vulnerable
critical infrastructures to malicious cyberattacks and other forms of
cybercrimes. Maritime shipping accounts for 90-94 percent of global trade
and any disruption to the sea lanes of communication, maritime
chokepoints, and shipping companies would have cascading implications
to the supply chain of global economy.20 The economic impacts of
cyberattacks on maritime industry including ports, ships, refineries,
vessels, terminals, and support systems at harbor are estimated to be in
hundred billion dollars.21 Juniper recently issued a report that cybercrime
will become the biggest challenge by the start of 2020 costing the
maritime industry USD 2.1 trillion.22 All sectors of maritime trade will be
affected including ports, logistics, shipping, containers, in such an
environment which will require a global action.

Cybersecurity Threat Environment

Cybersecurity threat environment is always evolving having
various actors becoming smarter, developing their strategies to focus and
target exploits in a systematic spearheaded fashion. With the passage of
time, adversaries are becoming powerful enough to threaten the integrity,
interest, lifestyle, and enhance their own agendas. Cyber threats are
already challenging confidence in global organizations, public trust,
governance, and norms imposing costs on the global economies.23

18 E. Heymann, B.P Miller, M. J. Alghazzawi, and D. Incertis, “Addressing the

Cyber-Security Of Maritime Shipping,”European Transport Conference,
https://aetransport.org/past-etc-papers/conference-papers-2016.
19 Ibid.
20 “International Maritime Organization,” United Nations Business, accessed June
24, 2020, https://business.un.org/en/entities/13.
21 Chronis Kapalidis, “Cyber Security Challenges for the Maritime Industry,”
Safety4sea, September 12, 2019, https://safety4sea.com/cm-cyber-security-
challenges-for-the-maritime-industry/.
22 Ibid.
23 Daniel R Coats. "Statement for the Record, Worldwide Threat Assessment of
the US Intelligence Community, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence,
48 Journal of Contemporary Studies, Vol. IX, No.2, Winter 2020

A malicious actor also called a threat actor, is an entity, which is

wholly or partially responsible for the incident that has the potential to
impact an organization’s security.24 These actors can damage critical
systems by exploiting vulnerabilities in cyber system, compromise
personal information, steal valuable intellectual property, conceal physical
crimes or even collect business intelligence etc.
Figure 1: Cyber Security Threat Environment

Major categories of malicious cyber actors as shown in Figure 1 include:

Recreational hackers
These are the hackers who try to hack cyber systems just to
impress their counterparts with a skilful exploit rather than making
money.

Cyber Terrorists
Cyber terrorism is the combination of cyberspace and terrorism,
which is generally understood as unlawful attacks or threats of attacks

Daniel R. Coats, Director of National Intelligence, May 11, 2017," In United

States. Office of the Director of National Intelligence. United States. Office of the
Director of National Intelligence, 2017.
24 "Threat Actor," TechTarget. accessed August 26, 2020,
https://whatis.techtarget.com/ definition/threat-actor.
Maritime Cybersecurity 49

through networks, computers, and the data stored therein. These attacks
can be launched to coerce or intimidate the government or people in
connection to social or political objectives. Cyber terrorists are the actors
who use internet to achieve their goals, which results in threatening a life
or damage an infrastructure through intimidation.25

Criminal Entities
There are individuals who perform malicious activities on
networks or digital systems by the use of technology in maritime domain.
These activities include importing drugs, counterfeit goods, and illegal
chemical to get profits in the black market and stealing cargo.

State-Actors
State-Actors are tasked by the governments to steal sensitive
information or disrupt other governments critical infrastructure by cyber
means.

Accidental Stumblers
They are also known as ‘Script Kiddies’ who actually learn hacking
from the online resources and end up penetrating into systems and
disrupting sensitive operations unintentionally.

Politically Motivated “Hacktivists”

They are tech savvy organized groups who actually undertake
cyberattacks against organizations and nations in order to achieve
political and social causes.
The cyber threat environment is frequently shifting and complex,
the fact is that there are various actors always keep on gaining access to or
disrupting cyber systems for malicious purposes.
Internal Threats
There are cyber threats from service provider or an employee as
well. Internal people can compromise the maritime system by the
carelessness, negligence, human error or by ignorance. They may open up
a malicious email, access malicious website, or use infected removable
media. This unintentional act may expose classified or sensitive data to
cyber threats thus putting the security of an organization at risk.26

25 Jones, Deri, and N. T. A. Monitor. "Semantic attacks-a new wave of cyber-

terrorism." Network Security 3 (2002): 13-5.
26 “The Guidelines of Cyber Security Onboard Ships Version 3,” Bimco, Clia, Ics,
Intercargo, Intermanager, Intertanko, Iumi, Ocimf and World Shipping
Council, https://www.ics-shipping.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/
guidelines-on-cyber-security-onboard-ships-min.pdf.
 50 Journal of Contemporary Studies, Vol. IX, No.2, Winter 2020

Recent Cyberattacks and Incidents

on Maritime Infrastructure
There are cyberattacks taking place in maritime industry which
target bank records, access logistical software, penetrate into control
systems and engines and hack navigation system of a ship. In the year
2017, a survey has shown the volume of cyberattacks on shipping
companies to 69 percent.27 The networks and systems used by shipping
companies, vessels, flag states, and ports handle classified information,
which catches the interest of criminals and can have an attractive target.
Table 1 shows some recent cyber incidents and the nature of attacks on
the maritime infrastructure.
Table 1: Cyber Attacks on Maritime Infrastructure (2011-2020)
a. Cyber Attacks/ Incidents on Nature of Attack Country Year
Maritime Infrastructure
b. The Islamic Republic of Iran Iranian stevedores could Iran 2011
Shipping Lines (IRISL) not count containers,
became the victim of cyber- stored pier-side or placed
attack on ships without
manually verifying all
twenty-foot equivalent
units (TEUs).
c. Saudi Aramco Oil and Gas An employee mistakenly Saudi 2012
Operator opened a phishing email Arabia
which had an infected
link.
d. Ghost Shipping Cyber experts to infiltrate Belgium 2013
computer networks
which were responsible
to manage what’s inside
each container at the port
of Antwerp.
e. Ice Fog Advanced Persistent South 2013
Threats (APTs) were Korean and
launched on South Japan
Korean and Japanese
assets.
f. Vessel GPS GPS was hacked of South Korea 2016
Korean vessel, resultantly
provided false
information.
g. Cyber Attack on Maersk Ransomware attacks Maersk 2017
were reported on Dutch worldwide

27 David Silgado Miranda, “Cyberattacks: A Digital Threat Reality Affecting the

Maritime Industry,” World Maritime University Dissertations, April 4, 2018,
https://commons.wmu.se/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1662&context=all_dis
sertations.
 Maritime Cybersecurity 51

maritime shipping
company.
h. Long Beach Terminal of A ransomware attack was USA 2018
Cosco launched against Cosco
Shipping at the port of
Long Beach Terminal
i. US Coast Guard Rescues a A cyber attack was USA 2019
Shipping Vessel from Cyber launched against a vessel
Attack bound to New York and
Coast Guard rescued that.
j. Global Logistics Operator A ransomware attack was Australia 2020
Toll Group has been Subject launched against global
to Cyber Attack logistics operator Toll
Group
Source: Compiled by the author.
Cyberattacks on the Maritime Assets of the
Islamic Republic of Iran – 2011
Shipping has been the major pillar of Iranian’s economy to make it
alive during the times of multilateral sanctions by the International
community. In August 2011, an Iranian state-owned shipping organization
named the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) became the
victim of cyber-attack.28 The founder of Cyber Keel, Lars Jenson stated,
“the cyber attack almost damaged data related to cargo number, loading,
date and place, and rates, which resulted in huge financial loss.” 29
According to the IRISL, the general shipping information and cargo
information was taken by the hackers. Resultantly, it became nearly
impossible for Iranian stevedores to count those containers, which were
stored pier-side or placed on ships without manually verifying all twenty-
foot equivalent units (TEUs). Though there is no information on how long
time it took to restore, but the loss to IRISL was considerable.
Cyberattack on Saudi Oil and Gas Company Aramco - 2012
The Saudi’s largest oil and gas operator named ARAMCO was hit by
a cyberattack. The company’s employee mistakenly opened a phishing
email which contained an infected link. This resulted in corruption of files,
and disconnection of phone calls. Almost 35,000 computers were infected
and 3 quarters of data was removed. On top of that, the oil company could

28 “Iran's Offshore Platforms Become Target of Recent Cyber Attacks,” The

Maritime Executive, October, 2012, https://www.maritime-executive.com/
article/iran-s-offshore-platforms-become-target-of-recent-cyber-attacks
29 “Maritime Cyber-Risks Virtual Pirates at Large on the Cyber Seas,” CyberKeel,
October 15, 2014, Cophenhagen, Denmark, 6, https://maritimecyprus.files.
wordpress.com/2015/06/maritime-cyber-risks.pdf
52 Journal of Contemporary Studies, Vol. IX, No.2, Winter 2020

not perform its regular functions for 17 days.30 It took ARAMCO 5 months
to recover from the loss and resume its day-to-day operations.
Ghost Shipping / Port of Antwerp – 2013
During the year 2011 and 2013, Drug traffickers in Dutch hired
cyber experts to infiltrate computer networks, which were responsible to
manage what’s inside each container at the port of Antwerp. This way,
they managed to hide cocaine in the containers and got them release to the
destination without the knowledge of port authorities.31
Ice Fog – South Korean and Japanese Assets Incident – 2013
Kaspersky Labs, an Internet security company, released proofs of
consistent cyberattacks of phishing on South Korean and Japanese assets
in 2013.32 The targeted institutions included military, telecom, media
houses, government, and shipbuilding groups. The most lethal cyberattack
is known as advanced persistent threats (APTs).
Vessels GPS in Korea – 2016
South Korean vessel suffered a cyberattack in April 2016 in which
navigational system was jammed. The GPS was hacked by hackers; some
signals were dead, and some others were providing false information. The
GPS had not exhibited correct information, and eventually the ship was
returned to the port. This can become a serious navigational fault, if it
happens in poor weather condition, vessel traffic area or having
inadequate visibility.33
Port Operations of A.P. Moller-Maersk - 2017
The Dutch maritime shipping company ‘Maersk’ was hit by
cyberattack in 2017. This cyberattack was the one which raised serious
cyber vulnerabilities of maritime industry. The company’s loss was
estimated to be around $300 million and they continued their operations

30 Jose Pagliery, "The Inside Story of the Biggest Hack in History," CNN Money,
August 5, 2015, https://money.cnn.com/2015/08/05/technology/aramco-
hack/
31 Joseph Direnzo, Dana A. Goward, and Fred S. Roberts, “The Little-Known
Challenge of Maritime Cyber Security,” 6th International Conference on
Information, Intelligence, Systems and Applications (IISA), 2015,
https://doi.org/10.1109/iisa.2015.7388071.
32 “The ‘Icefog’ Apt: A Tale Of Cloak And Three Daggers,” Kaspersky Media,
https://media.kaspersky.com/en/icefog-apt-threat.pdf, last accessed June 25,
2020.
33 “Cyber Security Fleet Protection Digital Ship Singapore March 2018,” OSM
Maritime Group, 2018, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/
57a8878837c58153c1897c2c/t/5ab3b85f88251b5549a07357/1521727638
547/8PeterSchellenberger_OSM_APM18.pdf
Maritime Cybersecurity 53

without IT for many days till the resume of operational activities.34 Maersk
had to close down its activities from several ports across the globe
reducing the volume by 25 percent. In order to resume its services, the
organization had replaced its 45000 computers, 4,000 servers and
installed 2500 new applications.
Long Beach Terminal of Cosco - 2018
In July 2018, Cosco Long Beach Terminal, which was associated
with Cosco Shipping was affected by a ransomware cyberattack. Though,
the cyberattack could not harm the company’s daily operations, but the
company decided to close down its connections with external regions.
Later, the company sent letter to every client in order to clarify the
incident.35
US Coast Guard Rescues a Shipping
Vessel from Cyber Attack - 2019
In February 2019, the US Coast Guard received a message from a
large ship bound for New York that the vessel was facing an alarming
cyberattack impacting their shipboard network.” An incident response
team led by the Coast Guard investigated the matter and found that ship
system was affected by the malware and it has significantly degraded the
functionality of the vessel. Fortunately, the imperative systems for the
control of vessel remained unimpeded.36
Global Logistics Operator Toll Group
had been Subject to a Cyber Attack - 2020
Global logistics operator Toll Group has reported to be under
cyberattack across its sea and land operations on 03 February 2020. The
company had closed down its number of systems at various sites in order
to respond the attack. As a consequence, majority of the customers were
experiencing disruption or delays while the company was trying to resume
its operations. The attack later on was identified as Mailto ransomware or

34 Jonathan Saul, "Global Shipping Feels Fallout from Maersk Cyber Attack,"
Reuters, June 29, 2017, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyber-attack-
maersk-idUSKBN19K2LE
35 Michael Juliano, "Cosco's Long Beach Terminal Hit by Cyber-attack,"
Tradewinds - Global Shipping News, July 25, 2018.
https://www.tradewindsnews.com/casualties/1541843/coscos-long-beach-
terminal-hit-by-cyber-attack
36 James Rundle, “U.S. Coast Guard Warns Shipping Industry on Cybersecurity,”
The Wall Street Journal, July 11, 2019, https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-
coast-guard-warns-shipping-industry-on-cybersecurity-11562837402.
54 Journal of Contemporary Studies, Vol. IX, No.2, Winter 2020

Netwalker, which is a new malware first time reported in October 2019.37

The above-mentioned incidents were just few examples of
cyberattacks occurred in the maritime industry. However, there are many
more cyber incidents, which don’t get reported due to the fear of loss of
reputation. Interestingly, maritime industry was shaken by the
cyberattack on Maersk shipping lines in 2017 and indeed it was the time
when maritime sector has started realization that cyber threats are real
and they can create serious damages to the industry.

Cyber Threats to Maritime Industry during COVID-19

Since the outbreak of the covid-19, the global maritime transport
industry is performing a significant role in the smooth dissemination and
relay of goods across the globe. According to United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development (UNCTAD) statistics, around 80 percent of the
global trade is sent by commercial ships that moves the world’s energy,
food, and raw materials along with all manufactured components and
goods.38 It also includes medical supplies, which are in demand worldwide
and without which the prevailing situation cannot be controlled. In this
context, the maritime industry, call to the government for keeping
maritime trade moving by allowing commercial ships to ports globally and
changing crew of ships worldwide is a significant aspect, which cannot be
ruled out. In the global crisis, it is imperative to keep supply chain
consistent and to allow maritime trade and trans-border transport to
continue.39 Another important aspect is the provision of food to landlocked
countries, which need unhindered access to food and medical supplies
through neighbouring state’s seaports. Restrictions on trade may interrupt
and disrupt businesses and can have negative ramifications on global
economy. The recent virtual G20 Leaders Summit on the COVID-19, the
state leaders should give heed to the maritime industry call to keep
maritime trade moving. The backlash to global economy is yet to be
ascertained, as the pandemic is called ‘black swan’ due to the magnified
impact it brings to the businesses worldwide and halting the supply chain
industry.40

37 Zoe Reynolds, “Toll Group Shuts Down IT Systems after Cyber Attack,”
SafetyatSea, February 6, 2020, https://safetyatsea.net/news/2020/toll-
group-shuts-down-it-systems-after-cyber-attack/
38 Mukhisa Kituyi, “Coronavirus: Let’s Keep Ships Moving, Ports Open and Cross-
Border Trade Flowing,” United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD), March 25, 2020, https://unctad.org/news/coronavirus-lets-keep-
ships-moving-ports-open-and-cross-border-trade-flowing
39 Ibid.
40 Benjamin Hilliburton, “COVID-19 is a Black Swan,” Forbes, March 19,
2020,https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbooksauthors/2020/03/19/covi
d-19-is-a-black-swan/#211c1ea67b4b.
Maritime Cybersecurity 55

In this scenario, any cyberattack leading to the short term

suspension or long term disruption to any operational technological
activity will have a devastating impact on the maritime industry.
According to a survey conducted by the Business Performance Innovation
(BPI Network) in partnership with Navis stated that global maritime
industry is seriously concerned about the cyber security.41 Same concern
is being observed during the pandemic, as cyber hackers have started
targeting maritime industry, as reported by the cyber consultants
worldwide. There are ships, which are receiving malicious emails targeting
maritime sector with phishing links or malwares in order to compromise
the vessel or parent organization. The maritime organizations have come
under sophisticated cyberattacks where charity and International
Seafarers’ welfare networks are becoming the targets by cyber hackers. An
email with the title ‘Corona virus / Affected Vessel to Avoid’ and contains
list of vessels with infected crew was circulated amongst maritime
industry amidst the Corona-virus.42 There is another email promising to
reveal names of infected crew members onboard specific vessels lured its
readers to fill the form attached and send them back. Another incident
reported about a malicious email impersonating World Health
Organisation (WHO) Project Manager which was found suspicious as the
language was full of grammatical errors, phrasing issues, and
capitalization errors throughout.43 The Corona virus being the only topic
today evoke emotional response causing the recipient to open the spoofed
message without getting cautious. Taking the lead from this, building a
scenario with sophisticated and well-planned cyberattacks on maritime
industry, cyber criminals can leverage the global crisis and demand million
dollars as a ransom.

Cyber Security Counter Measures

in Maritime Industry
In last few years, the maritime industry has taken important steps
regarding devising recommendations and guidelines to address the
cybersecurity threats. However, with continued call for advanced
technological equipment and systems used in day-to-day shipping

41 “Shipping Industry Optimistic But Concerned About Trade, Cyber Threats,”

Material Handling & Logistics, November 19, 2018,
https://www.mhlnews.com/transportation-
distribution/article/22055334/shipping-industry-optimistic-but-concerned-
about-trade-cyber-threats.
42 Sam Chambers, “Weekly Report Details Growing Number of Shipping
Companies Targeted by Malware Attacks,” Splash Tech, March 25, 2020,
https://splash247.com/weekly-report-details-growing-number-of-shipping-
companies-targeted-by-malware-attacks/
43 Ibid.
56 Journal of Contemporary Studies, Vol. IX, No.2, Winter 2020

activities, a dire need is required for government and industry to develop

and implement strong and robust security measures, which can provide
risk-based prevention, mitigation and recovery stages in cybersecurity
field. In this regard, a multifaced approach would consist of cybersecurity
assessment, cybersecurity enhancement, penetration testing, verification
of any new builds (software or hardware), assessment of onboard vessel’s
cybersecurity, ISO/IEC 27001 Maritime training and compliance along
with profiled training of all personnel. By the time, operational technology
(OT) and information technology (IT) have been coupled together, the
frequency to internet has been increased as well. It further brings greater
cyber risks to ships not only from unauthorized access or malicious
attacks but also from personnel accessing systems onboard ships. In 2017,
the International Maritime Organization (IMO) initiated and adopted
resolution MSC.428(98) on Maritime Cyber Risk Management in Safety
Management System (SMS). According to the resolution, cyber risk
management should be taken into consideration an approved SMS with
the functional requirements and objectives of the ISM code. The
administrators are also encouraged to address cyber risks in SMS not later
than the first annual verification of the company’s Document of
Compliance after January 1, 2021.44 The resolution discusses various
company-ship specific approaches of cyber risk management but it is
regulated under relevant national, international and flag state regulations.
The same year, IMO also came up with guidelines providing
recommendations on cyber risks management to ensure ships are safe
from emerging cyber risks and vulnerabilities. As per guidelines, senior
management is responsible for the implementation of cyber risk
management, as they should harbor the cyber culture into all levels and
departments of any organization.
Like the IMO guidelines, the US National Institute of Standards &
Technology (NIST) made a Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), which
provides instruction to find out and sort out cyber related threats for the
systems and applications.45 The prioritized, flexible, and cost-effective
framework approach serves as the solid guidelines for organizations to
handle cyber issues while safeguarding civil liberties, business and
individual practices confidentially.
In 2019, on the basis of senior management commitment to ensure
cyber risk management, the Guidelines on Cyber Security Onboard Ships

44 “The Guidelines of Cyber Security Onboard Ship,” BIMCO Bulletin, December

2020, https://www.bimco.org/about-us-and-our-members/publications/
bimco-bulletin.
45 “Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, Version 1.0,”
National Institute of Standards and Technology, February 12, 2014,
http://www.nist.gov/cyberframework/upload/cybersecurity-framework-
021214.pdf
Maritime Cybersecurity 57

have been formulated by the BIMCO in consultation with CLIA, ICS,

INTERCARGO, Inter Manager, INTERTANKO, IUMI, OCIMF and WSC. These
guidelines are aligned with IMO resolution and guidelines and offer
various new recommendations on maritime cyber safety and cyber
security.46 This document aimed at providing guidance to ship owners and
operators on actions and procedures to maintain the cyber security of
cyber systems in the organization and onboard ships.
These guidelines are third edition in the last many years thus
reflecting the dynamic nature of cyber risks and challenging to the
maritime sector. The difference between previous guidelines and new one
lies in multiple domains, such as operational technology and supply chain
risks. The cyber risk associated with ships are directly linked with
information technology and operational technology. For instance,
malfunctioning IT system may cause a delay in clearance or ships’ loading
but inoperative OT can cause real risk to the ship, people or the marine
environment. Most often, the jobs at ship may be focused on protecting
operational systems as compared to protecting data. If a software
controlling engine is hit by a cyberattack with malware, it can lead to
disastrous situations.47
Another aspect has been covered in the guidelines was the number
of cyber incidents to demonstrate the real-world situations, faced by
operators and ship owners, though the examples have been anonymized.
The supply chain risks were also highlighted in the guidelines
highlighting the risks associated with malware infecting the systems of
ship through external parties linked with ships and their systems. For
example, ships are not just standing in the middle of ocean, it has to have
close connections to security systems in the shippers’, companies’ and
agents’ offices, which make it more vulnerable in the cyber domain.
The maritime industry is to join hands with governments across
the globe and take serious and specified measures to mitigate cyber
threats especially in the midst of any natural disaster or pandemic. There
is a dire need to train crew members of all levels to understand and realize
the existence of cyber-attacks. They should be given adequate practical
guidance on how to look for potential malware or phishing attempt. The
maritime industry should also use direct communication in order to verify
emails from the original originator.

46 Aron Soerensen, “Safety at Sea and BIMCO publish Cyber Security,” BIMCO
Bulletin, September 19, 2019, https://www.bimco.org/news/priority-
news/20190916-safety-at-sea-and-bimco-publish-cyber-security-white-
paper
47 Rasmus N Jorgensen, “Industry Publishes Improved Cyber Guidelines,” BIMCO
Bulletin, December 7, 2018, https://www.bimco.org/news/priority-
news/20181207-industry-publishes-improved-cyber-guidelines.
58 Journal of Contemporary Studies, Vol. IX, No.2, Winter 2020

Conclusion
In this digital age of maritime industry, information, and
communication technologies play an important role through increased
connectivity of networks and systems. The industry has been transformed
from traditional concepts into new technologies having advanced and
sophisticated systems. The modern shipping industry now facilitates
routine operations, but it also becomes vulnerable to different type of
cyberattacks. Organizations actually invest in cyber technology and
systems but not on the training of staff. Given this, most cyber-attack
incidents are associated with the human factor making the state of affairs
completely paradoxical. Either we take the example of 2011 Stuxnet in
Iran or Saudi Aramco cyberattack in 2012, human error and incompetency
prevail in these major cyber security attacks. This scenario is mostly
prevalent in developing countries or LDCs where highest cyber
commitment is still lacking behind; resultantly they fall to various
malicious viruses leading to cyberattacks.
Since, the maritime sector is evolving; the demonstration of new
technologies makes it significant to work for a longer-term cybersecurity
framework and plans. This requirement is also reflected in the IMO and
United Nations’ agenda in order to achieve the sustainable development
goals. Since cybersecurity has emerged as a strong threat to the maritime
industry, it has become mandatory for all stakeholders to collaborate and
participate to address this global threat. The participation of all maritime
sectors is also important to contribute in creating optimal operational
conditions, implementing national regulations, enforcing and contributing
to the prosperity and stability of maritime industry. This will not only help
in ensuring the maritime sector plays its role, but also better develop
future working conditions for new generations. For the same reason, it
becomes inevitable that vessels, shipping companies, ports and harbor
facilities and regulatory organizations keep working on the enhancement
of cybersecurity measures in order to protect critical infrastructure and
key resources from cyber threats. Though the maritime industry is
becoming aware of cyber incidents and adapting cyber risks mitigation
trainings, however, there is strong need not to let go of multiple unnoticed
and unregulated cyber incidents.