Maritime vessels at risk of cyber attack, study suggests

Maritime vessels are under significant threat of cyber attack due to outdated software and an initial design without cyber security in mind, according to new research by Plymouth University’s Maritime Cyber Threats Research Group.

More traditional vessel attacks - piracy, boarding, theft - are well understood and therefore easier too defend against. Cyber attacks, however, are less known on maritime vessels and carry far greater and potentially damaging implications.

The article, published in Engineering and Technology Reference, suggests that maritime cyber attacks would most likely target systems responsible for navigation, propulsion, and cargo-related functions, with many incentives for attackers given that over 90 per cent of world trade occurs via the oceans.

The paper reads: “As things stand, there are fundamental issues with securing the technology used in the maritime industry and the sector is probably the most vulnerable aspect of critical national infrastructure. Both security firms and hackers have found both general flaws and specific, real-world, flaws within the navigation systems of ships, and it seems plausible that similar outdated systems for propulsion and cargo handling may also be compromised and abused by cyber attackers.”