One of the first things someone installs on a new private tab-let or desktop PC is an anti-virus program including adware block and spam filter. The second thing is to change all the passwords to a secure one.
Why all these measures? Because of the fear of personal property, valuables and information.
But what about cyber security on board? What is already common practice in the onshore industry will now also be implemented in shipping. With IMO Resolution MSC.428(98), Shipping companies are forced to implement measures against cyber security in their SMS and enhance the aware-ness for possible cyber security risk on board.
The resolution will get into force on first of January 2021 and cyber security measures will be verified already during survey and audits by Class and Flag this year.
Is this science fiction or reality? Unfortunately, it is the real-ity and there were already several attacks related to cyber
security in the maritime sector. Two of the biggest issues were a shutdown of all Maersk- IT onshore and on board with a total loss of 300.000.000 USD (2017) and the temporarily shut down of a moving oil rig off the coast of Africa caused by hacker attacks with a loss of about 15.000.000 USD.
The German BSI has registered more than 80 attacks per day 2019 to German ports, mostly related to identify valu-able containers and cargo.
In order to comply with the new challenges and also the new requirements cyber security measures in the SMS have been adopted which will be circulated in a few weeks.
Most of the measures can be implemented by human sense and common practice- others require change in behavior and thinking.
The IMO resolution and FAL Circ.3 can be obtained before-hand on request.