Securing the Maritime Industry: Safeguarding Ships and Crews from Cyber Attacks

Have you ever been on a ship’s bridge and noticed that the ship is changing direction without explanation? This could be the result of a cyber attack on the ship’s systems. The maritime industry is increasingly concerned about cybersecurity threats, and a new course called “Maritime digital security” has been developed at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Lesund to address this issue.

The course was created by two Ph.D. candidates, Marie Haugli-Sandvik and Erlend Erstad, who have been studying digital risks in the maritime sector. They have conducted a practical exercise to simulate a cyber attack on a ship in motion, and have evaluated the risks of current digital threats. The main focus is on developing resilience and managing cyberattacks.

The course is the first of its kind in Norway and is part of the doctoral theses that the two candidates are completing. The course was developed in collaboration with the industry to meet their urgent needs and provide solutions for the future. The goal is to make the maritime sector more resilient to cyberattacks, which can come in through the ship’s systems, port systems, and the people who operate them.