Consider whether your processes are documented and followed. Are you training your workforce and involving vendors, operators and technicians? Vendors control much of the equipment on ships and some facilities, and thus should be part of any cybersecurity plan.
Step 4 - Manual vs Automated Approaches
Choose the best methods for your organization, helping to ensure that OT and IT are working together for more effective cyber resilience. Data-driven decision-making should be part of the organizational culture. This step is ongoing and includes:
- Network monitoring and alert management
- Asset management - Vulnerability scanning and patch management
- Configuration management Governance is crucial, as
cybersecurity is ultimately a business decision. Each organisation will have a different risk appetite and establishing a clear and repeatable process is vital for an effective cybersecurity plan.
Things To Consider in Your Cyber Security Plan
Critical considerations in developing an effective cyber security plan should include:
- Cybersecurity Organization and Identity: Formalize your cybersecurity management
structure and clearly document leadership (for accountability) and the responsible teams.
- Training: Include role-based training for engineering IT security processes, awareness and preparedness and cyber resilience. Conduct drills and exercises with port partners or ship-to-shore operations to simulate events across critical business and operational areas.
- Records and Documentation: Document training, drills, exercises, incidents, audits and risk assessments. Have a risk register that clearly defines threats and vulnerabilities and defines a timeline for mitigation and the responsible business/engineering departments for execution.
- Communication Plan: Have a plan for communication during outages, including out-of-band methods to communicate in case of an active breach of security.
- Physical Security Controls: Identify gaps in your vessel or facility security plan for restricting access to sensitive network equipment and have a plan to remediate them.
- Cybersecurity Measures: Implement cost effective measures to better identify risks, detect threats and vulnerabilities, protect critical systems and recover from cyber incidents.
- Audits and Amendments: Conduct annual audits with evidence-based inspections. Hold security teams and system owners accountable to remediate findings and strive for continuous improvement.
- Cyber Incident Reporting Procedures: Develop a
methodology for self-assessment and ensure compliance with current and emerging requirements. Consider joining information sharing networks to help others in the maritime transportation system from suffering similar consequences. We are all in this together.
In Conclusion
The proposed maritime security regulations present significant challenges to the U.S. maritime industry. Given the increased threat landscape, these regulations are necessary and should be welcomed. However, adapting and implementing them can be challenging and potentially very costly. The industry will require a substantial transition and, in some cases, a complete transformation from a cyber risk management perspective.
The key message is: start now. The cybersecurity plan is essential, and its core tenents will not likely change much with the Final Rule. Initiating the process early helps avoid costly last-minute activities and potentially ineffective applications of people, processes and technology, helping to ensure that the organization meets new requirements and remains secure.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and not necessarily those of IIMS.
THE REPORT | MAR 2025 | ISSUE 111 | 61
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