CYBER THREAT AGAINST MARITIME SECTOR

Cyber security is more important than ever before. Ships and offshore platforms are becoming more sophisticated. The cyber threat at sea is a considerable security, safety and financial risk to the maritime industry.

The threat from cyber criminals is VERY HIGH. The threat from cyber criminals against the maritime sector includes both non-sector specific threats such as ransomware and cyber-enabled fraud and sector-specific threats such as cyber-enabled smuggling and theft.

Smuggling and cargo thefts are well-known phenomenon in the maritime industry. However, cyberattacks have provided criminal groups with additional tools to facilitate illegal shipments of goods.

Cyber criminals have provided reconnaissance information to pirates through hacking, prior to piracy operations. Compromise and exploitation of vulnerable systems in shipping lines and ports provide criminals with detailed information regarding the exact location of specific goods, making them vulnerable to theft either in port, to/ from the port or through targeted piracy operations.

This facilitates either standard theft of identified goods or the manipulation of information resulting in the deliberate hand-over of cargo to the wrong destination. Given the many different hand-over points of information during the supply chain, criminals only need to find one or two vulnerable entities within the chain to be able to manipulate the shipment.

 DO'S AND DONT'S

• Don’t use unprotected computer
• Don’t leave sensitive info around office
• Lock your computer and mobile phone
• Stay Allert
• Password protect sensitive files and devices
• Be cautious of suspicious emails and links

 Warning Signs Associated With Cyber
 Attacks 

 MALWARE

• Slowdown of computer
• Pop-ups in Windows
• Crashes
• Suspicious hard drive activity
• Running out of hard disk space
• Unusually high network activity
• New browser homepage
• New toolbars
• Unwanted websites accessed without your input
• Unusual messages or programs that start automatically
• Security solution is disabled
• Spam messages sent to your contacts

 PHISHING

• Message contains a mismatched URL
• URLs contain a misleading domain name
• Message contains poor spelling and grammar
• The offer seems too good to be true
• Request to send money to cover expenses automatically
• Security solution is disabled
• Spam messages sent to your contacts

 DENIAL OF SERVICE

• Unusually slow network performance
• Unavailability of a particular website
• Dramatic increase in the number of spam emails received
• Disconnection of a wireless or wired internet connection