1.Investments in digitization outpace security investments
2.Minimal management awareness
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4. Lack of industry-specific cyber security knowledge
An additional factor is the difficulty of finding cyber security experts who understand the unique requirements of shipping companies. There is a severe shortage of cybersecurity professionals in general, and security analysts who also have experience in shipping and maritime logistics are a rare breed indeed, as these areas of expertise almost never overlap.
As a consequence, it has been difficult for maritime and logistics companies to find the talent they need to achieve cyber resiliency for IT infrastructures that span across the globe and involve constantly moving physical assets.
5. Lack of maritime cyber security regulations
The maritime and logistics industry has not faced as much regulatory enforcement as many other industries with regard to cybersecurity. Unlike tech and healthcare, for instance, there are few laws that impose security mandates around private information in the shipping industry.
The result of this paucity of regulation is obvious: Shipping and logistics companies have been less likely to invest in cybersecurity because they have faced less regulatory pressure to do so.
Regulation will likely take time to catch up. In the meantime, the responsibility lies with the companies themselves, and it will be driven by large customers demanding higher cybersecurity standards. More cyber-mature maritime and logistics companies are another driving force as they should be requiring such standards from their entire network of business partners.
Policy makers need to understand the unparalleled social dependency placed on logistics to deliver everything from vaccines to Volkswagens. This necessitates building a safety net for an indispensable industry.
Where we go from here
Cyber security is a relatively new focus for companies in the maritime industry — if it is a focus at all. But logistics and maritime cyber security needs to become a priority for everyone in the organization – from business leaders to operational teams, and everyone in-between. Companies in this sector make for the perfect target both because they have invested heavily in digital systems that lack adequate security, and because they have very much to lose by disruptions to their operations.
To plug this gap and leverage modern technology responsibly, shipping and logistics companies must work with maritime cyber security experts like Cyberstar, which possesses the special knowledge of the shipping industry that most cyber security professionals lack.Cyberstar guides logistics businesses in the security of their digital assets, investing in cyber security at the corporate level and building a security-focused culture, which in turn brings maritime companies up to speed with their counterparts on the cyber security front. When business resiliency depends on cybersecurity, Cyberstar’s consultants help companies better prepare and rebound stronger.
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