Cyber Security Today

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Cybersecurity cases rise by 82.5%

MORE people are online now – be it for business, education, entertainment, socialising or working from home due to the movement control order (MCO).

But the higher usage of technology also means bigger risks of running into cyberthreats.

About 352 accounts on the video conferencing app Zoom were compromised on Wednesday, including a healthcare provider in the US and seven educational institutions.

Cyber security amid a global pandemic

To cope with operational issues such as denied physical access, quarantined vessels and travel restrictions, shipowners are now actively opening for remote access and implementing remote digital survey tools towards vessels and encouraging shore staff to work remotely from home.

There is also increased use of mobile devices to access operational systems onboard vessels and core business systems in the company. Unprotected devices could lead to the loss of data, privacy breaches, and systems being held at ransom. Data is an asset and protecting it requires a good balance between confidentiality, integrity and availability.

In an era of cyber everywhere, with more technological transformation, use of cloud, and broader networking capabilities towards vessels, the threat landscape continues to increase. Cyber-criminals will look to attack operational systems and backup capabilities simultaneously in highly sophisticated ways leading to destructive cyber attacks. Cyber security depends not only on how company and shipboard systems and processes are designed but also on how they are used – the human factor.