MARITIME CYBER SECURITY Archives - Page 17 of 40 - SHIP IP LTD

Researchers at the University won a competition run by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) for its piece of software designed to identify the specific cyber threats facing ships, which also has the ability to expand into ports and other sectors.

The Maritime Cyber Risk Assessment (MaCRA) framework was developed by researchers from the University of Plymouth’s Maritime Cyber Threats Research Group.

It identifies the specific risks likely to be encountered by particular vessels on trade routes all over the world, enabling international shipping operators and insurers to rapidly assess individual ships or entire fleets’ cyber risk profiles.

The software was among entrants from across the UK in a Cyber Den competition run as part of the UK government’s flagship cybersecurity event, CYBERUK, on May 11 and 12, 2021.

Researchers will now receive assistance from the NCSC in assessing, developing and piloting their product or service. This may include consultancy on the technology and potentially working with a government department on further testing.

In addition, Dr Kimberly Tam from the University of Plymouth won this year’s Lloyd’s Science of Risk prize, which recognises the scientific work done by academics and PhD students to further understand risk and insurance. This year there were three categories: cyber, climate change and pandemics.

Dr Tam’s research titled ‘MaCRA: a model-based framework for maritime cyber-risk assessment,’ paper proposes a dynamic risk assessment model that uniquely takes into account both information technology and operational technology, both of which are prevalent in sectors like transportation and critical national infrastructure. This research was entered into the cyber category and chosen as the overall winner of the competition.

Dr Tam, lecturer in cybersecurity at the University of Plymouth and academic lead on the MaCRA project, said: “We are thrilled with the opportunities our win in the Cyber Den will bring as we finesse MaCRA’s adaptive maritime cyber risk assessment capabilities.

“We are also grateful to the CyberASAP team for equipping us and other great teams to deliver Dragons’ Den-style pitches, and to the judges, especially for the most valuable aspect of our win: a year’s mentoring with NCSC experts.”

Cecilia Muller Torbrand, CEO of the Network said: “Captain Unni and Mr. Jensen bring valuable operational and commercial insights to the network’s leadership team, and I would like to thank both of them for their commitment to building the capacity and reach of our organisation.”

Founded in 2011 by a small group of committed maritime companies, MACN has now grown to include over 150 member companies holding 50 per cent of the world’s shipping tonnage.  In early 2021, MACN formally become an independent stand-alone organisation.

Capt. Unni said: “The UN SDGs provide us with an important and compelling framework of targets that I believe can help us all build a more resilient and sustainable maritime industry. Fighting against corruption is central to those aims. It is a great honour to step up our work with MACN which brings together so many people and organisations committed to the common goal of ridding our industry of corruption.”

Øistein Jensen commented: “I have seen MACN grow into one of the world’s leading example of an industry-lead anti-corruption initiative. We have made substantial progress in an area many thought was impossible. I am really looking forward to MACN’s next chapter and the further progress we can make as a network.”

John Sypnowich, MACN chair, welcomed the new appointees: “Capt. Unni will bring the voice of ship managers into the Board. He is a champion of seafarer rights, a vocal supporter of shipping’s net-zero emissions ambition by 2050 and has a vast network in the industry.  Mr. Jensen’s professional focus on sustainability is an increasingly important part of our industry and he has a long-standing commitment to MACN. Both are recognised industry leaders and will serve the membership well.”

Sensitive to the complex vulnerabilities within the maritime industry, the dedicated courses have been structured with in-depth content specifically developed by Deductive Labs in line with the established standards and regulations. The virtual training is practical and fulfils all maritime requirements. It provides hands-on instruction and is easily accessible and available both online and offline. Upon completing the training, both participants and shipowner organisations will receive the required certifications for IMO and ISM Code compliance for onboard audits.

The Maritime Cyber-security Awareness Training is suitable for all levels of seafarers. It brings together the understanding of the risks, culture and behaviours — onboard and onshore — with the tasks and technology necessary to protect systems, networks, programs, devices, and data from the increasing malicious cyber-attacks.

Johan Sjölund, business development manager for Deductive Labs said: “When designing these courses, we included specialised material that we know from experience creates the right frame of mind. Our goal is to eliminate weaknesses and vulnerabilities at all levels and within all systems. Cybersecurity is a complex reality. However, with over 15 years of security knowledge and experience in this field, we are confident that this bespoke training improves cybersecurity and goes beyond the specified regulations .”

Martti Simojoki, senior loss prevention manager at Alandia, confirmed their approval and collaboration of the superior quality of instruction contained within these courses. “We have integrated our expertise in pro-active maritime security management and loss prevention with the practical, hands-on and in-depth knowledge of Deductive Labs. We are confident that this new course, now available on the Seably platform, is one of the few recommended and complete learning systems within the maritime sector.”

The introduction of this maritime training adds to the range of specialised content available within the Seably marketplace. Andrea Lodolo, CEO of Seably, said: “Unfortunately, cyber-attacks are on the increase. They are constantly evolving and becoming more common. An attack on a vessel’s critical systems could easily threaten the safety of a ship as well as the business of shipping. No one within our sector can ignore this risk. We are introducing this complete and timely package of training courses to strengthen on-shore and on-board defences. These will equip ship owners and personnel with the required knowledge and skill-sets to ward off cyber threats.”

DDK uses the Iridium network to provide global precision positioning services that can augment GNSS constellations, including GPS and Galileo, to significantly enhance their accuracy for critical industrial applications. DDK is also developing similar services for other GNSS constellations, such as GLONASS and Beidou. Terms of the investment are not being disclosed.

Standard positioning accuracy through a system like GPS is typically within 10 meters; however, by using the Iridium network, DDK’s enhanced GPS accuracy service brings incredibly precise positioning of five centimeters or less. This advanced level of accuracy is ideal for autonomous vehicles like UAVs, precision agriculture applications, offshore infrastructure projects such as windfarm construction, automotive applications like driverless cars, as well as a host of construction, mining, surveying and IoT use cases. Historically, there have been limited geostationary satellite provider options for this type of service, but they suffer from line-of-sight blockage issues and coverage limitations in and around Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Kevin Gaffney, CEO of DDK Positioning, said: “We are delighted to have embarked on this journey with such a strong and well-respected company as Iridium. This partnership is a perfect fit for DDK Positioning, with Iridium’s satellite communications network and our GNSS solution, we are in a position to deliver a truly unique service which is robust, resilient and secure.

“The investment made by Iridium will also allow us to grow the company even further whilst expanding our service offering globally.”

According to a report published by the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency, augmentation services like those offered by DDK will account for USD 76.5 billion (EUR 65 billion) in global GNSS market revenue by 2029, while the global GNSS downstream market, including services delivered and hardware devices, is estimated to reach USD 382 billion (EUR 325 billion).

“We are impressed with the team that DDK has put together and see great potential for this technology and how it takes advantage of the Iridium network,” said Iridium CEO, Matt Desch. “DDK’s enhanced positioning is a unique capability that adds a high-value solution on top of our existing portfolio of custom network services. Solutions from Iridium and DDK partners that are focused on precision agriculture, autonomous systems, maritime and infrastructure projects can now experience incredibly precise GNSS accuracy from anywhere on the planet.”

NorSat-3 is equipped with KONGSBERG technology and will be used by the Norwegian Coastal Administration for monitoring maritime traffic in Norway’s busy seaways. The microsatellite’s AIS and NRD (navigation radar detector) payload draws upon KONGSBERG’s most advanced, future-proof developments in space-based vessel detection.

NorSat-3 will take its place 605km above the Earth in a polar LEO (Low Earth Orbit) constellation alongside four other microsatellites. These have already been in service for years and have all exceeded their working life expectancy, but are nevertheless still operating efficiently. The new 16.5kg satellite has been designed to provide next-level functionality, so it has been equipped with KONGSBERG’s ASR x50 SAT-AIS receiver as its primary payload – the sophisticated fourth-generation outcome of a developmental AIS (Automatic Identification System) timeline which stretches back over two decades.

The ASR x50 sets a new standard for sensitivity in space-based SAT-AIS receivers, with its ability to detect even AIS Class B vessels. Extremely reliable and offering built-in redundancy, it deploys next-generation de-collision algorithms for optimal vessel detection in areas with a medium or high density of ship traffic. Its miniature, best-in-class EEE (Electrical, Electronic and Electromechanical) components have been selected for their radiation-tolerant design principles and their low power usage.

In addition, its substantial onboard data storage is matched with multi-antenna support, a superior dynamic range and reconfigurable, in-orbit SDR (Software-Defined Radio) technology, ensuring compatibility with forthcoming algorithm enhancements or amendments to AIS/VDES standards. As a part of KONGSBERG’s new eXtended lifetime product series, the ASR x50 is designed for a service life in Low Earth Orbit of more than seven years.

Meanwhile, the new microsatellite’s secondary payload consists of an experimental NRD (Navigation Radar Detector) antenna and receiver, supplied by the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and developed in collaboration with KONGSBERG, the French space agency CNES and the German electronics company ILFA. This cutting-edge equipment can detect and locate signals transmitted by civilian navigation radar systems, which will give the Norwegian Coastal Administration a more complete situational image by including vessels which aren’t sending AIS signals, for reasons ranging from errors and malfunctions to transponders being switched off.

“The launch of NorSat-3 represents a significant step forward in terms of the quality and quantity of the data we can receive, evaluate and share with other government organisations,” said Arve Dimmen, director for navigation technology and maritime services, Norwegian Coastal Administration. “The benefits for safer, better-informed sailing in Norwegian waters, both now and in the future, are obvious, and it’s to KONGSBERG’s credit that the company’s technology should be so central to realising our aims.”

“Enhancing situational awareness for seafarers and vessel traffic controllers alike provides great benefits, and NorSat-3 is an excellent example of how microsatellites provide crucial contributions to this picture,” stated Erlend Vågsholm, vice president research & development, Kongsberg Seatex. “It also shows how KONGSBERG’s strong focus on microsatellite solutions is well adapted to Norwegian needs for monitoring vast ocean areas and for maritime safety at large.”