Cyber security threats are becoming an increasingly pressing issue across all industries, and marine terminals are especially vulnerable targets. Unauthorized access, poor update management, lack of preparation, and a failure to comply with industry regulations all contribute to the risk faced by marine terminals.
According to a recent report, less than half of maritime professionals believe their organization is doing enough to combat these growing threats.
If you’re among most marine terminal operators who feel you need to improve your cyber security practices, we have four actionable tips you can implement today to fortify your TOS against potential incidents.
Follow the Three Principles of Access Controls
Access control simply refers to the practice of limiting who is able to access information, systems, or other technology.
Access control doesn’t just mean controlling who has valid passwords to access sensitive data. It can also refer to the practice of physically protecting certain resources like servers or workstations.
Proper access control and authentication will minimize the chances of data breaches and unauthorized access. To achieve this, follow these three principles:
Least Privilege
Every employee should have the minimum necessary access to systems and information required to do their job. This reduces the risk posed by compromised accounts and minimizes the chances of accidental leaks.
Separation of Duties
Critical tasks and the access required to complete those tasks should be separated among multiple individuals whenever possible. This prevents any single person from having too much power and also minimizes the business risk posed by compromised accounts or unauthorized access.
Accountability
Accountability is only possible when organizations can properly track suspicious behavior from system users. Ensure your technology stack provides a way to monitor user activity and quickly investigate potential malicious access.
Perform Regular Software Updates and Patch Management
Pay close attention to the software updates issued by your TOS provider. Not every update is the same—some contain critical security updates in response to emerging threats or vulnerabilities and should be prioritized. Read through the provider’s updates closely to determine the impact of the update on your security. If you’re unsure about it, contact your provider for guidance.
When it comes to patch management, it’s important to have a strategy in place to avoid confusion. Ensure your IT team is following these core principles when designing your patch management strategy:
Patch Third-Party Software, Too
Make sure you’re addressing vulnerabilities in third-party and open-source software your company is using.
Ensure Full Device Coverage
Make sure your strategy covers all network devices, including mobile devices. Have a protocol in place to ensure new devices are seamlessly added into patch rollouts.
Test Patches Before Full Rollouts
It’s best to test patches on a small number of machines before committing to a full rollout. Ideally, segment machines by department, location, or device type. This will reduce the impact of the update on business operations and minimize the risk that a bad patch will overwhelm your network.
Additionally, look for patch management systems that enable rollbacks to easily undo any bad patches.
Document Update Performance
Finally, it’s a great idea to document and analyze your patching procedure every time you roll out a new update. This will help you understand mistakes and double down on successes.
Have an Incident Response Plan and Monitor for New Threats
Incidents are bound to happen. Even if they aren’t catastrophic, it’s critical to understand the root causes of any security incident or discovered vulnerabilities, as well as have a comprehensive plan in place to respond to incidents as they occur.
Develop an Incident Response Plan
Work with your IT department to craft an incident response plan that outlines detailed steps for identifying cyber threats and responding to them. There are many frameworks for responding to incidents, but in general, they should include steps that look something like this:
- Detection: How will your organization detect the various types of threats that might occur?
- Containment: What is your plan to contain threats based on the type of system, program, or information affected?
- Eradication: How will your security team defeat the threat with minimal business impact?
- Evaluation: Ensure you have a protocol in place to thoroughly review incident responses and improve them over time.
Continuously Monitor for New Threats
It’s important that someone on your cyber security team is responsible for continuously monitoring potential threats.
- Stay up to date on cybersecurity news and alerts websites like thehackernews.com, darkreading.com, or securityweek.com.
- Utilize services like Google Alerts to notify you about specific cybersecurity topics and developments.
- Collaborate with fellow maritime industry companies, for example, the Maritime Cyber Alliance.
- Choose a technology partner that makes it easy to communicate and receive necessary information on how to protect your programs and sensitive information.
Comply with Marine Terminal Industry Regulations and Standards
Organizations that make a concerted effort to follow industry standards and regulations will have a leg up in cyber security. To achieve this, follow these steps:
Have a Compliance Team
Establish a dedicated team responsible for cybersecurity compliance. This team should include IT experts and representatives from other departments.
Conduct a Risk Assessment
Identify and assess the risks to your marine terminal’s information systems and data. Analyze the likelihood of breaches and the potential impact.
Document Policies
Create clear policies regarding cybersecurity controls and procedures. Ensure these policies are communicated across the organization.
Utilize Government Resources
Subscribe to alerts and bulletins from government organizations like CISA and the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE), which often provide sector-specific cybersecurity information.
Face Marine Terminal Cyber Threats with Tideworks
As the maritime industry faces escalating cyber threats, it’s crucial to partner with a software provider who truly understands these challenges.
Tideworks offers robust, security-conscious solutions tailored for marine and intermodal operations. Our commitment to cybersecurity in terminal operations goes back more than 20 years—a level of experience that enables us to predict tomorrow’s vulnerabilities and fortify your business against them.
Connect with Tideworks today to find out how our solutions can safeguard your operations against ever-evolving cyber threats.