WHY HAS CYBERSECURITY BECOME SO PROMINENT IN RECENT YEARS?
Cyber is at the top of maritime security agendas for a variety of reasons. First, some of the physical threats (terrorism and piracy) are in remission in hot spot regions (regions which I can address later in more detail). Second, cyber-attacks against governments and industry, ranging from malicious to serious, are occurring constantly. Third, there is a fear of the unknown with cyber threats. While physical security issues are well-known in terms of threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences, this is not the case for cybersecurity. Much of this information is still in the discovery stage. A couple of recent examples are just opening our eyes to these issues. In Antwerp, drug smugglers were able to hack into the terminal operating system to freely move their containers of contraband and then hide their tracks. In the Mediterranean, a researcher from the University of Texas demonstrated that the navigation system on a modern yacht could be spoofed to indicate it was in another area.
WHERE ARE WE ON CYBER STANDARDS AT PRESENT?
There has been progress toward cyber standards. In February, 2014, the US National Institute of Technology and Standards published an industry-agnostic Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure…
