Cybersecuring the seas

Research

In May 2023, three Canadian ports were hacked by cyber criminals - on the same day.

What's more, more than 90 per cent of global trade is conducted by ships and port management systems, both of which are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks.

A marine cyberattack in Canada that happens at the right time in the right place could block maritime routes and halt trade in Canada, causing billions of dollars in lost revenue and disruptions to shipments of food and other material goods.

To protect Canada from these threats, the National Cybersecurity Consortium has awarded Dr. Jonathan Anderson, a cyber security expert in Memorial University's Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, and a team from Memorial's Marine Institute, $1.8 million to co-lead two marine cybersecurity projects.

Cybersecurity training

Despite Canada's reliance on marine-based industries, they have not received the same cybersecurity attention as other industries.

More than 100,000 vessels, crewed by 1.9 million seafarers, command the ships we rely on for food, fishing, national security and more.

In partnership with Thales Canada, the Marine Cybersecurity Training program will train seafarers to protect the systems they rely on and to respond appropriately to cyberattack.

Dr. Anderson says that vessels are becoming increasingly automated - up to and including fully autonomous ships.

"The crew must be able to manage their vessel's systems, protect their vulnerabilities, recognize cybersecurity problems, intervene if an incident occurs and access external help when required." - Dr. Jonathan Anderson

Seafarers and vessel operators are becoming responsible for increasingly sophisticated systems with less user control and visibility, and not every vessel will carry a cybersecurity expert.

"Yet, the crew must be able to manage their vessel's systems, protect their vulnerabilities, recognize cybersecurity problems, intervene if an incident occurs and access external help when required," Dr. Anderson said.

The Marine Cybersecurity Training program will empower seafarers to do all of these things.

Memorial University, Marine Institute and Thales Canada will develop a dynamic and innovative cybersecurity training curriculum for mariners across a spectrum of competencies and responsibilities.

Dr. Anderson says the curriculum is widely recognized in the industry as a "critical" requirement and the training programs will serve industry needs both in Canada and abroad.

"The curriculum will be thoughtfully crafted to ensure that it can be offered at multiple points in seafarers' careers, as they progress in responsibility. This program will have an impact on real-world operations for the critical infrastructure of our marine industry."

Securing marine systems

A second project, in partnership with Dalhousie University and titled Securing Critical Marine Systems, will investigate how to improve critical control systems used in the marine environment and develop the next generation of secure-by-construction control systems.

"Critical control systems that used to run in isolation are now networked on ships that are connected to the internet 24-7 via satellite and other links." - Dr. Johnathan Anderson

Current marine systems are built on technologies that were not designed to stand up to cyberattack, Dr. Anderson says.

Cyberpiracy is rising, meaning a hacker can take over entire ships, including fishing fleets and military vessels.

"Critical control systems that used to run in isolation are now networked on ships that are connected to the internet 24-7 via satellite and other links," said Dr. Anderson. "Securing these systems will require a willingness to redesign and rebuild the most fundamental points of connection among marine systems."

Marine Institute expertise and world-class facilities

Dr. Steven Mallam, Capt. Christopher Hearn, director of the Marine Institute's world-class simulation facility, the Centre for Marine Simulation, Maria Halfyard, manager of business development, research and strategic partnerships at the Marine Institute, will all be involved in the projects.

Chad Pelley is manager of communications and media relations in the Division of Marketing and Communications at Memorial. He can be reached at [email protected].

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• Cold Oceans and Northern Strength
• Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
• Marine Institute
• Oceans
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