France’s strategy for maritime cyber security seeks cooperation between industry and the state, says national maritime cyber security coordinator Bruno Bender.
In the keynote speech at the Maritime Cyber Security Forum in London on 25 June, Mr Bender, who is employed by the General Secretariat of the Sea (SGMer), outlined the vision for the Maritime Cybersecurity Coordination Centre and the path forward.
“[Cyber security] is a new theatre of operations that encompasses all the different threats we have seen in the maritime domain,” said Mr Bender, explaining that it brings together threats from state actors, terrorists and pirates, which have historically been tackled in different ways.
Part of France’s response to this is the establishment of a Maritime Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (MCCC). This will comprise eight functionalities, Mr Bender explained:
These capabilities bring together in varying combinations public bodies responsible for law enforcement, the environment and defence, as well as operators of essential services, digital actors and security providers from the private sector. Key layers on which MCCC will be built include ensuring the right legal framework is in place to tackle cyber security, establishing standards and procedures for industry, facilitating exchange of information from parties including class societies and insurers along with governmental and public bodies. It will also facilitate technical solutions, and will operate on a self-sustaining business model, Mr Bender explained.
The first step in France’s maritime cyber strategy has been to establish an initial information sharing and analysis centre (ISAC) capability, with input from the Secretary General for the Sea, harbour federations, the French maritime cluster and shipowners.
While currently this is a national initiative, the next steps seek to implement collaboration with EU and third-country partners and agencies, he added: “We are searching for partners in the EU to grow with us [and] to help maritime to develop and become more safe.”
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