Cyber-security will come under the remit of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code from 1st January 2021 and measures must be incorporated into your vessels’ Safety Management Systems – good preparation is vital!
Effective cyber-resilience requires more than technical countermeasures alone. Personnel and procedures both have a vital role to play. To protect a vessel, crew must understand what’s at stake and be equipped with the skills needed to follow best practice.
Training and awareness are therefore key supporting elements in managing cyber-risk at sea. At a bare minimum, this should cover risks related to email, internet use, using own devices, using memory sticks and portable hard-drives, and sharing passwords and other credentials.
Policies should be introduced for safeguarding data, user information, passwords and digital certificates. Procedures for restricting computer access to third-party technicians, agents, port officials and other onboard visitors are a must.
GTMaritime provide an endpoint security solution, GTSentinel to help ensure that your devices and systems are secure. Developed specifically for use in the maritime environment, delivering live updates, GTSentinel automatically scans all new devices, such as USB sticks, when inserted into protected machines, keeping you protected. Click here for more information.