The digital revolution is having a significant impact on the shipping industry and has led to integrated automated navigation, cargo-tracking systems and digital platforms to support various operations, trade and the exchange of data. However to be to achieve this transformation, the mitigation of cybersecurity risks has become a critical issue.
There are vulnerabilities in many maritime communication systems, in particular, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) provided by multiple satellite constellations has been the subject of spoofing and jamming attacks that have resulted in partial or total loss of the ability to locate ships at sea. Such a failure can be disastrous if the ship is, for example, navigating narrow straits or near the shore.
Another critical piece of equipment on board is the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which tracks every ship in the world and whose data is used by numerous organisations and downstream services such as insurance companies. Ships have used multiple techniques to tamper with AIS data and entered zones from which they are legally excluded, for fishing or performing other illegal activities.
Both GNSS and AIS signals use satellites and are regarded as critical to improve the safety of maritime navigation and the reliability of data for downstream services. Using its family of secured servers and its experience in satellite communications, CYSEC SA will lead a feasibility study to investigate the protection of both GNSS and Satellite-AIS (SAT-AIS) communications.
CYSEC SA has established a consortium to develop and test the potential solutions composed of U-blox, a specialist supplier of positioning and wireless communication technologies for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets; and Gomspace, a designer, integrator and manufacturer of high-end nanosatellites for customers in the academic, government and commercial markets. The team will work under the guidance of both ESA and European maritime stakeholders.
CYSEC is currently involved in the IoT and Space, where its flagship product ARCA is already used to protect communications to satellites and connected devices on ground.
Commenting Laurence Duquerroy, ESA Space Solutions said,“Cybersecurity is a very important topic at ESA, not only for space infrastructures and missions, but also regarding all the services using satellite-based data and technologies. Ship tracking is one of them and cybersecurity is a complex issue that needs to be addressed.”
Mathieu Bailly, VP Space and IoT at CYSEC added, "The shipping industry currently suffers from various cybersecurity flaws, posing great threats to the global industry. Resolving these issues is in CYSEC’s DNA by making the best cyber protection tools accessible to companies that currently do not have the expertise nor the resources to benefit from it.”
