Safe Harbors: Securing Ports to Protect the Nation’s Critical Maritime Infrastructure

The last few years have reminded us supply chains are crucial to a functioning world economy—and our nation’s ports play a huge role in the chain. That’s why, with industry input, MITRE researchers are helping ports and shipping companies fend off cyberattacks by assessing and mitigating their system vulnerabilities. Georgia’s Port of Savannah is one of the fastest-growing container terminals in the country. Between 2020 and 2021, its total container trade expanded by nearly 20 percent, generating more than $100 billion in sales and shipping for companies as diverse as Target, IKEA, International Paper, and Gulfstream Aerospace. But a single cyber or marine casualty incident can close down the port completely, creating a ripple effect across critical infrastructure and disrupting the global supply chain, says Josie Long, MITRE cyber risk mitigation engineer. “And all of it could be set into motion by somebody on the other side of the world,” she adds. Automation and system updates are not always completed domestically or shipboard. Many connect cyberattacks with data breaches, but they can have operational impact as well. A cybersecurity strategy developed for the specifics of each location and asset helps ensure goods keep moving domestically and globally. “Each port has different dynamics and is dramatically diverse,” Long says, describing the consequences of a mishap. “I always use the port of Savannah as an example. It’s one ship in, one ship out because of the narrowness of the channel. If there are any issues, it shuts down the port completely.” Now, with industry input, Long and her MITRE colleague Michael Thompson, a critical infrastructure and cyber engineer, aim to help ports and shipping companies fend off cyberattacks by assessing and mitigating their own system vulnerabilities.

https://www.mitre.org/news-insights/impact-story/securing-ports-protect-nations-critical-maritime-infrastructure