A Study on Cyber Security Threats in a Shipboard Integrated Navigational System

The integrated navigational system (INS) enhances the effectiveness and safety of ship navigation by providing multifunctional display on the basis of integration of at least two navigational functions, the voyage route monitoring with Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) and collision avoidance with radar. The INS is essentially a software platform for fusion of data from the major ECDIS and radar systems with sensors for the additional navigation functions of route planning, status and data display, and alert management. This paper presents a study on cyber security resilience examination of a shipboard INS installed on a RoPax ship engaged in international trade. The study was based on a mixed-method approach, combining an interview of the ship’s navigational ranks and cyber security testing of the INS using an industry vulnerability scanner. The identified threats were analyzed qualitatively to study the source of cyber risks threatening the INS. The results obtained point out cyber threats related to weaknesses of the INS underlying operating system, suggesting a need for occasional preventive maintenance in addition to the regulatory compliance required.