A ship-to-shore data connection seems to have been compromised. Do you pull the plug right away or wait for more details to better assess the risks? What decisions need to be made and who needs to be informed? These are just some of the questions you might face if you participate in a cyber incident exercise. How would you manage and what would you learn?

As the maritime industry becomes ever more connected and data driven, there are enormous new opportunities, but also intensifying threats. Cyber criminals are constantly finding new and clever ways to hack systems and steal data. Until recently, however, there was very little in terms of mandatory cyber security requirements on maritime equipment.

In the summer of 2022, the International Association of Classification Societies adopted two new Unified Requirements on maritime cyber security. If you contract a newbuild vessel on or after July 1, 2024, it will need to comply with these requirements. Some of the responsibility lies with the owner, some with the shipyards and some with the equipment manufacturers.

Incident exercises – the fire drills of cyber resilience

As the maritime industry becomes ever more connected and data driven, there are enormous new opportunities, but also intensifying threats. Cyber criminals are constantly finding new and clever ways to hack systems and steal data. Until recently, however, there was very little in terms of mandatory cyber security requirements on maritime equipment.

In the summer of 2022, the International Association of Classification Societies adopted two new Unified Requirements on maritime cyber security. If you contract a newbuild vessel on or after July 1, 2024, it will need to comply with these requirements. Some of the responsibility lies with the owner, some with the shipyards and some with the equipment manufacturers.

A ship-to-shore data connection seems to have been compromised. Do you pull the plug right away or wait for more details to better assess the risks? What decisions need to be made and who needs to be informed? These are just some of the questions you might face if you participate in a cyber incident exercise. How would you manage and what would you learn?

A united front is the best defence

As the maritime industry becomes ever more connected and data driven, there are enormous new opportunities, but also intensifying threats. Cyber criminals are constantly finding new and clever ways to hack systems and steal data. Until recently, however, there was very little in terms of mandatory cyber security requirements on maritime equipment.

In the summer of 2022, the International Association of Classification Societies adopted two new Unified Requirements on maritime cyber security. If you contract a newbuild vessel on or after July 1, 2024, it will need to comply with these requirements. Some of the responsibility lies with the owner, some with the shipyards and some with the equipment manufacturers.

A ship-to-shore data connection seems to have been compromised. Do you pull the plug right away or wait for more details to better assess the risks? What decisions need to be made and who needs to be informed? These are just some of the questions you might face if you participate in a cyber incident exercise. How would you manage and what would you learn?

The winning team is the one that plays together

As the maritime industry becomes ever more connected and data driven, there are enormous new opportunities, but also intensifying threats. Cyber criminals are constantly finding new and clever ways to hack systems and steal data. Until recently, however, there was very little in terms of mandatory cyber security requirements on maritime equipment.

In the summer of 2022, the International Association of Classification Societies adopted two new Unified Requirements on maritime cyber security. If you contract a newbuild vessel on or after July 1, 2024, it will need to comply with these requirements. Some of the responsibility lies with the owner, some with the shipyards and some with the equipment manufacturers.

"A ship-to-shore data connection seems to have been compromised. Do you pull the plug right away or wait for more details to better assess the risks? What decisions need to be made and who needs to be informed? These are just some of the questions you might face if you participate in a cyber incident exercise. How would you manage and what would you learn?

Get in touch to talk about a cyber incident exercise with Wärtsilä.

This article about maritime cyber security, describing the learnings from a cyber incident exercise first appeared as one of Wärtsilä's Insights stories.

Written by

Ian Hamilton
for Wärtsilä Marine Marketing