Cybersecurity at Sea: Why Digital Threat Awareness Is Becoming Part of Security Culture Text Here
Modern ships are more connected and more reliant on technology than ever before. Navigation, communication systems, engine controls, and even cargo handling are increasingly digital.
While this creates enormous advantages in efficiency and safety, it also exposes vessels to a new and rapidly growing risk: cybercrime.
This is why maritime organisations are now treating cybersecurity as an essential part of vessel security culture. The threats may be invisible, but the consequences are very real.
Why Cybersecurity Matters More Than Ever
For many years, maritime security focused almost entirely on physical threats like piracy or unauthorised boarding. But today’s attacks often begin not at the gangway, but via an email.
A cyber incident can interrupt navigation systems, lock critical software, corrupt cargo data, disable communication tools, or expose sensitive operational details. In severe cases, hackers have even attempted to tamper with propulsion or steering systems.
Because ships rely heavily on digital infrastructure, the impact of a single compromised device can quickly spread across the entire vessel.
Common cyber risks on modern vessels
This is where emails pretend to be from trusted sources to trick crew into clicking a link or downloading a malicious file. These messages can appear to come from port authorities, agents, or even a company office, making them difficult to identify without proper awareness.
Malware can be introduced through personal laptops, USB drives, or downloaded software. These programs can infiltrate a ship’s network quietly, only revealing themselves once critical systems begin to fail.
The human factor remains one of the greatest contributors to cyber risk on board vessels. Crew and shore staff may unintentionally introduce threats through actions such as clicking phishing emails, using weak passwords, or connecting unsecured devices to ship networks. Fatigue, lack of awareness, and insufficient training can further increase vulnerability. Strengthening cyber hygiene and promoting a security-minded culture are therefore essential elements of maritime cyber risk management.
This could be instances where default passwords are not changed, passwords are not complex enough or credentials are shared across multiple systems.
If passwords are compromised, this allows attackers to gain access to critical vessel systems.
Outdated or unpatched software may contain security vulnerabilities which attackers can exploit. Keeping software up to date is important to prevent these types of attack.
Cyber security awareness culture
Cybersecurity is no longer the responsibility of IT departments alone. Every member of the crew plays a role.
Because digital systems support so much of a ship’s operation, the behaviour and awareness of individuals have a huge impact on overall security.
Today’s security culture encourages seafarers to think carefully about the digital environment just as they do about physical surroundings. That includes questioning suspicious emails, being cautious with personal devices, protecting access credentials, and reporting anything unusual.
This cultural shift mirrors the expectations placed on ships by flag states, insurers, and port authorities, all of whom increasingly require proof of cyber risk management and crew training.
Maritime Cyber attack example
How Cyber security training supports cyber resilience
While the STCW Convention and ISPS code traditionally focused on physical threats, modern training increasingly includes digital risk awareness. Seafarers learn how to recognise suspicious online communication, protect sensitive information, and understand the potential impact of unsafe digital practices.
Training also reinforces the importance of proper reporting. Just as crew would report a suspicious person on deck, they are encouraged to report unusual system behaviour — slow responses, unexpected pop-ups, unfamiliar logins, or anything else that feels “off.” Quick reporting allows the ship’s leadership to respond before a small issue becomes a critical one.
The below video “spoofing on the high seas” is a controlled experiment run by the University of Austin. They use GPS spoofing equipment to sucessfully push a yacht off track without the bridge team being aware.
Cyber security e-learning
With ever growing cyber security risks at sea, it’s really important that seafarers are trained on the risks. At Seafarer.online we have devoloped an online course covering the requirements of the ISM code to familiarise seafarers with cyber risks at sea.
Start learning today –