Large yachts and charter yachts are increasingly vulnerable to attack from cyber criminals, a cyber-security expert warns, while new regulations require large vessels to prove that they have cyber protections on board.
The new regulations, intended to fight the growing cyber threat, come from the International Maritime Organization (IMO); they went into effect on January 1. The IMO now requires vessels to prove they have taken cyber-security precautions. The regulations apply only to vessels over 500 tons, but cyber experts warn that the threat applies to much smaller private yachts, and charter yachts in particular.
Cyber attacks on yachts increased 40 percent in 2020 over the previous year, according to C3IA Solutions, a cyber-security firm in Poole, England, and they have continued to grow ever since, even during the pandemic.
“With attacks having increased dramatically in recent years, owners and operators are much more aware of the risks,” says Jim Hawkins, security director of C3IA Solutions (pictured at top). ‘While the new IMO code relates to large vessels, it might in the future be amended to encompass much smaller boats, and it’s always best to be prepared.”
Hawkins says his teams conduct technical surveillance counter measures, including bug-sweeping, to provide assurance to yacht owners. Other teams conduct remote penetration testing, to examine the security of a yacht’s onboard systems; this involves a simulated attack so yacht owners can know how strong their security systems actually are.
“Obviously, with the rich and famous owning and using the yachts, they are high-value targets for hackers,” Hawkins said. “The data and information contained on them could be extremely valuable. The new code is now being enforced, and it will help burst the myth that being at sea you are somehow less vulnerable to attack.”
The added risks on cruising and charter yachts make them particularly vulnerable, he said. They include a rotation of yacht crew, and extended stays in boatyards for repairs and maintenance, also involving many people with access to the boat. Charter yachts, with many clients coming and going, are even more vulnerable to a cyber attack. Read more:
