TECHNOLOGY


CYBER SECURITY


The yachting industry has always been a leading figure in the development and implementation of new technologies. The average yacht features an incredibly robust network infrastructure, IT network, and OT (Operational Technology) network. Hundreds of network connected assets, dozens of remote connections to third- party vendors, a constantly changing set of guests and crew members, and constant connectivity through an amalgam of shoreline, 4G, 5G, and VSAT services, lead to a level of convenience, efficiency, and luxury that are unparalleled anywhere on land or at sea.


However, those very same features open yachts up to a wide array of cyber risks. While we have not yet publicly seen cyber- criminals take control over a yacht’s OT network, we have seen an increasing trend in attacks designed to steal money and even blackmail owners. While building a cybersecurity programme generally requires trade-offs and compromises, the


nature of the yachting creates a unique opportunity to develop a cybersecurity programme without compromise. The core of any good cybersecurity programme is about managing and mitigating the risks associated with the implementation and usage of technology. By engaging in cyber risk management, yachts can set their agenda by identifying, managing, and mitigating risk effectively on the yacht.


The process of cyber risk management is not purely a technical question, but rather must include business processes and industry knowledge in determining the most serious risks to the specific yacht in question. A moderate vulnerability on a critical system can pose a significantly higher risk than a serious vulnerability on an unimportant system. While defining the exact contours of cyber risk management can be difficult, it cannot be a one-off occurrence, but rather it must be a constantly evolving and cyclical process that should be refined and strengthened by folding in new knowledge, evolving threats, and changing security tactics.


Cybersecurity is a difficult but winnable battle. Just as yachts have become a leader in the world physical security, deploying cutting-edge technology to combat emerging threats in the physical world, so too is the world of yachting due for a fundamental reevaluation of their approach to cybersecurity.


Whether driven by compliance under the IMO, or by the threat landscape more generally, cybersecurity will be a growing concern within the industry. Yachts can either fight to implement bare minimum requirements and resist the implementation of a culture of security for as long as they can get away with it, or they can lean into the developments and turn the yachting industry into an exemplar of cybersecurity.


We can not say what the future mandatory requirements will be, but we do know that yachts have never lived by the creed of ‘just good enough’, so we expect to see a heavier commitment during the next 12 months for onboard cyber security.


FUTURE PROOFING ANALOGUE OR DIGITAL


Analogue radio modulates one voice call for each 12.5kHz band, with no encryption making it easier for anybody to monitor crew and guest movements. Despite their trusty and dependable nature, analogue radios remain an enormous security risk for keeping communications private on board, whereas digital radio encodes and encrypts the voice, allowing more channels for a frequency. This means that the calls are routed so that disciplines are securely separated. Crew can be contacted individually without other radios picking up the conversation, while the captain can still listen to them all. Digital radio also features the transmission of alarms and service calls.


The world of technology is moving fast and the phrase ‘future proofing’ is bandied about by many. Once again it comes down to keeping things relatively simple in terms of the general hardware you bring on board. Software can of course be updated in real time, but it’s not a great idea to tell the boss at the end of every season that a certain piece of hardware needs to be updated because it is not compatible with a new on board system. The truth is that there will always be something newer and better out there, it comes down to being fit for purpose. Systems integration is a buzz word and of course this all makes sense for the guests on board, but when you’re looking to hook up older devices into single user interfaces for the owners and guests to control the AV, lights, blinds/shades, climate and so on, you can come across obstacles with older infrastructure. The integrated systems, the ease of use and speed the owners have at home might not be able to be replicated on the high seas, so the advice is to manage expectations and don’t just buy the most expensive piece of kit you can find.


The core of any good cybersecurity


programme is about managing and mitigating the risks associated with the implementation and usage of technology.


ONBOARD | WINTER 2022 | 77


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