Cybersecurity threats are increasing rapidly at all levels and the shipping industry could not be an exception to the new scourge of the times.
Against the backdrop of the malicious actions recorded recently, the findings of the research conducted by Thetius, in collaboration with CyberOwl and HFW, reflect a difficult situation that requires constant vigilance.
According to the research, one in five shipping companies has been attacked in cyberspace in the last 12 months, while only one in six shipowners understand how to operate a ship safely against cyberattacks during delivery and only 17% of shipyards recognize that they have the appropriate expertise in the field of cyber security.
The “cybercriminals”, or hackers as they are known, have evolved into organized groups with financial incentives, which exploit any vulnerabilities in the electronic systems of shipping companies, gaining significant financial benefits.
Of course, despite the increased “incidents”, the research data showed that the total cost of the ransoms required is falling sharply.
The findings of the research also show that 55% of the participating shipowners believe that their organization takes the issue of cybersecurity seriously, while 36% consider it an absolute priority.
At the same time, the corresponding percentages on the part of charterers are 67% and 17% and for shipyards 33% and 56% respectively.
A percentage of 7% admitted that they were forced to pay ransom after a cyberattack, with the average cost not exceeding 100,000 dollars (the corresponding amount in 2023 was 2.3 million dollars).
Regarding the crews that participated in the survey, 93% stated that they were unprepared to deal with cyberattacks, while 70% believed that there was room for improvement in training through exercises.
