Why Ports Are at Risk of Cyberattacks

guest · Sep 9, 2022

The longer a ship is docked, the more vulnerable the port is to a cyberattack.
By Aviv Grafi @avivgrafi - September 9, 2022

Evidence indicates that the world's ports are returning to pre-pandemic levels. During the first 11 months of 2021, the value of US international freight increased by more than 22% (PDF) compared with the same 11 months in 2020. More freight means more ships docking at port. And not only are more ships docking, but their dwell times are increasing as well. The average container vessel dwell time at the top 25 US container ports was estimated at 28.1 hours in 2020. In the first half of 2021, average container vessel dwell times increased to 31.5 hours.

While this increase in activity is undoubtedly welcome, more docked ships bring a new challenge. The longer a ship is docked, the more vulnerable the port is to a cyberattack.
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The Cyber-Risk to Ships
The maritime industry is especially vulnerable to cyber incidents. There are multiple stakeholders involved in the operation and chartering of a ship, which often results in a lack of accountability for the IT and OT system infrastructure and the ship's networks. The systems may rely on outdated operating systems that are no longer supported and cannot be patched or run antivirus checks.

Going forward, this threat is expected to increase.
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Common ship-based cyber vulnerabilities include the following:
• Obsolete and unsupported operating systems
• Unpatched system software
• Outdated or missing antivirus software and protection from malware
• Unsecured shipboard computer networks
• Critical infrastructure continuously connected with the shore side
• Inadequate access controls for third parties including contractors and service providers
• Inadequately trained and/or skilled staff on cyber-risks
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Many of these threats first enter the ship through email phishing schemes — attempts to fool employees and individuals into opening and clicking on malicious links or attachments in emails or uploading malicious documents to website portals. These "hacks'' often exploit vulnerabilities in the ships' networks, using the vessel to gain access to the ship's partners, including the port.
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