US Coast Guard (USCG) has updated its Cyber Strategic Outlook plan to address increasing cyber threats to critical maritime systems
The revision comes as cyber attacks on infrastructure, which USCG said are essential to the US’ economy and security, are rising.
USCG said the threats to information and operational technology systems outpace those from the traditional physical domains of air, sea, land and space.
“Cyber-attacks against the US are one of the most significant threats to economic and military power since World War II,” USCG said.
There have been attempts in the last five years, including the exploitation of USCG networks and information and attacks on maritime critical infrastructure.
USCG commandant Admiral Karl L. Schultz said these adversarial efforts to undermine democratic and economic processes reinforce cyberspace as a threat area.
“USCG is taking important and necessary steps to increase safety and security where physical and cyber threats converge,” he said.
“We maintain strong relationships with our US port partners,” Admiral Schultz continued. “We hold leadership roles on area maritime security and harbour safety committees, and we have the technological expertise to integrate cyber awareness and resilience within the marine transportation system.”
The commandant said the Cyber Strategic Outlook charts a route to overcome the challenges of rapidly evolving cyber security threats.
The 2021 update to the Cyber Strategic Outlook identifies areas for USCG to enhance cyber security and protect maritime infrastructure from cyberspace threats.
The USCG said the updated plan ensures the organisation will be mission-ready to tackle cyber threats, protecting marine transportation systems by identifying and combatting cyber-based adversaries.
The plan will be underpinned by the development and sustainment of a skilled workforce, intelligence driven operations, and domestic and international partnerships, according to the organisation.
USCG said it will work with government agency partners in the Department for Homeland Security, the Department of Defense as well as foreign allies, and the maritime industry to improve readiness.
USCG said its 2021 Cyber Strategic Outlook reaffirms the foundation that established cyberspace is an operational domain, noting the plan brings the same ethos, proven doctrine and operational concepts to bear as USCG expands its operations in and through cyberspace.
GTMaritime has released two significant product updates addressing fast-evolving cyber security and digitalisation needs in shipping.
These includes an upgrade to GTMaritime’s secure maritime file and data replication solution, GTReplicate, with greater file synchronisation capabilities across satellite networks.
GTReplicate v1.2 includes email integration, enabling shore-side emails to be used as a source or target for replication.
It automatically configures, monitors and securely executes fleet wide file transfer tasks from a central location.
GTMaritime also released GTSentinel 8 the latest version of its comprehensive maritime antivirus software.
GTSentinel 8 provides customers with a range of advanced protections including: machine learning; advanced memory scanning; exploit blocking; botnet protection; malicious DNA detections; and a unified extensible firmware interface scanner.
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