Vanessa C. DiDomenico, Sharon R. Klein, and Karen H. Shin
Cybersecurity concerns are certainly on the radar for shipowners and operators. Cybersecurity breaches can penetrate systems aboard and ashore and can jeopardize safety and adversely impact maritime operations, as well as disrupt the downstream distribution of the goods on board. In that light, it is imperative that shipowners and operators install tough mitigation, detection, and response plans.
As ships undergo digitalization and autonomous system upgrades, cyberattacks and ransomware attempts become more prevalent. Ransomware is defined as a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until the attacked party pays a sum of money. Cybercriminals monetize their operations by extorting their victims and can further sell extracted data. Cyberattackers typically seek the highest payout possible and target companies and industries, including the maritime sector, that rely on time-sensitive data to function. Such attacks can have devastating contemporaneous consequences on multiple players.
In the 2017 NotPetya malware incident, attackers encrypted Maersk systems and demanded payment. “Without access to data held on its destroyed computer system, Maersk literally didn’t know what was in its containers. On-the-ground-staff had to check manually, with time sensitive medicines a particular supply chain concern.”[1] The attackers shut down systems in seven minutes, but the response and industry’s realization that protections were needed lasted much longer. “The key lesson Maersk learned from battling the NotPetya attack: protection is important—but it’s equally as important to ensure your recovery process is strong.”[2]
Continue reading “Maritime Ransomware”
