Maritime appetite for cyber risk notably higher than other key industries, new report reveals
A new report published by DNV reveals that the majority (61%) of maritime professionals believe the industry should accept increased cyber risk from digitalisation if it enables innovation and new technologies. The sector’s appetite to take on emerging risks arising from digital transformation is notably higher than other critical infrastructure industries including energy, manufacturing and healthcare.
The industry’s increasing appetite for cyber risk comes at a time when it must manage a growing volume of vulnerabilities. Seven in 10 (71%) of the almost 500 maritime professionals surveyed by DNV believe their organisations’ industrial assets are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks than ever before, while the same proportion (71%) say the leaders of their organisations consider cyber security to be the greatest risk their business faces.
Shipowners, ports, and the entire maritime value chain are increasingly reliant on ever more connected digital technologies as the industry transforms to become greener, safer and more efficient. Maritime professionals point to advanced data analytics, the internet of things, AI and machine learning, high-bandwidth satellite communications, and autonomous operations as presenting the greatest opportunities for their businesses in the coming years.
While interconnectivity and new technologies bring opportunities, they also make the industry more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Maritime professionals are confident the industry is managing the risk. More than eight in 10 (83%) say their organisation has a good cyber security posture, and seven in 10 (71%) are confident their organisation would quickly get back to business as normal following a cyber-attack.
DNV’s new report, Maritime Cyber Priority 2024/25: Managing Cyber Risk to Enable Innovation, identifies four key challenges for the sector:
* Ensure access to experienced resources that know how to build and implement cyber security resilience in the design of new systems and vessels.
* Enhance detection and response capabilities to minimise the consequences of marine operational technology (OT) systems.
* Assign clear roles, responsibilities and resources to handle OT cyber security in a continuous manner onboard and onshore.
* Secure the many interdependencies and components in complex supply chains.
The vast majority of maritime professionals (95%) call for more collaboration on cyber security among organisations within critical infrastructure industries, as per a release.
source: Exim News Service: Oslo, Nov. 13