Cyber Security in Merchant Shipping

The underlying idea of CySiMS is to develop new maritime security solutions that provide integrated and cost-effective protection against cyber-attacks on critical safety and operational information, while contributing to and making use of emerging specifications and standards.Results will be provided within:

1. New VHF Digital Radio System
2. New signature and encryption systems for digital data
3. A public key infrastructure for the maritime domain
4. Tools and methods for risk assessment and corrective measures

​

Cyber security on land is using a host of well-known technology to avoid that data or systems are compromised by hostile attackers or ignorant users. This includes physical protection, encryption, electronic signatures, virus protection and many other tools. Many of these tools are also applicable to ships, but shipping faces special problems that limit the applicability of this technology.

​

This means that the project must provide an innovative approach to maritime cyber-security that are based on state of the art in security technology, but which combines known mechanisms in a way that creates a holistic and cost-effective system for use in the maritime domain.

Maritime cyber-security appears in diverse domains which are handled by different international organisations that do not always coordinate their work.

The basis for the innovation in this project is to look at these problem areas holistically, contribute to new specifications that can be applied in all areas and then develop new products based on these specifications to create new and larger markets for the partners' products.

​

The specifications are now completed and were validated through a set of demonstrators in Trondheimsfjorden Test Area for Autonomous Ships in mid-March 2021. Focus was given to a general set-up of the PKI-solution (register a public certificate, download cache of public certificates), MRS-reporting and ship to ship/VTS navigational information (intended route). A white paper documenting the demonstrators will be available later.