At a Glance
- Industry: Maritime & Shipping
- Engagement type: Cloud-Based Vessel Cybersecurity Architecture
- Tech stack: AWS-based shoreside SOC, lightweight vessel SIEM appliances, VSAT satellite communication, encrypted log forwarding, custom maritime threat detection
- Outcome: All critical and high-severity findings remediated and re-tested with no critical issues remaining at close.
- Delivered by: ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified consultants with OSCP, OSEP, CISA, CISM credentials.
Compliance Frameworks Satisfied
Client Overview
Industry: Maritime & Shipping
Product: Fleet of 18 vessels across global trade routes
Tech stack: AWS-based shoreside SOC, lightweight vessel SIEM appliances, VSAT satellite communication, encrypted log forwarding, custom maritime threat detection
The client operates a fleet of 18 vessels across global trade routes (Indian Ocean, Strait of Malacca, Red Sea, Mediterranean) with critical onboard OT systems. IMO 2021 cyber compliance was mandatory for safety management certificates renewal.
Challenge
Three factors drove the urgency of this engagement:
- IMO 2021 compliance. Mandatory cyber risk management in safety management systems with auditable evidence required for safety management certificate renewal
- Limited connectivity. VSAT satellite bandwidth (256 Kbps typical) restricted real-time monitoring and prevented continuous shoreside oversight
- OT/IT convergence. Bridge systems (ECDIS, AIS, GMDSS) increasingly connected to crew internet networks, creating cross-domain attack paths
Our Approach
Codesecure delivered a structured engagement combining automated coverage with deep manual testing focused on the specific risk areas for this client.
Scope of Testing
The engagement covered the following primary areas:
- Deployed lightweight SIEM appliances on each vessel with bandwidth-aware log forwarding
- Maritime-specific detection use cases covering NMEA traffic anomalies, ECDIS access and satcom abuse
- OT/IT segmentation review using IEC 62443 framework
- Shoreside SOC integration with regional analyst coverage following vessel time zones
- VSAT-aware log compression and batch transmission for bandwidth efficiency
- Bridge equipment baseline hardening aligned with manufacturer guidelines
- Crew network isolation with strict ACLs preventing access to operational networks
// Tooling Used
Reporting & Walkthrough
Executive summary delivered alongside a technical report containing reproducible PoC steps, CVSS v3.1 severity scoring and developer-actionable remediation guidance. Live walkthrough with the client team covered every critical finding with reproduction and recommended fix path.
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Critical Findings
- VSAT management interfaces exposed to crew internet networks on 8 vessels, enabling potential remote compromise
- ECDIS workstations reachable from crew WiFi on 5 vessels with default vendor credentials still in place
- Bridge-to-engine-room network segmentation absent on 3 vessels, allowing potential propulsion system access
High & Medium Severity
Active reconnaissance traffic detected from external IPs on 3 vessels during the engagement, weak passwords on ship management workstations, no logging on bridge equipment, USB ports physically unrestricted on 11 vessels, satcom configuration backups stored unencrypted, no incident response runbook for cyber events at sea.
Before vs. After
Before Engagement
- VSAT management exposed to crew networks
- ECDIS reachable with default vendor creds
- No bridge-to-engine segmentation on 3 vessels
- Active reconnaissance undetected
- No shoreside visibility into vessel security
- IMO 2021 compliance gaps
After Remediation
- VSAT isolated on dedicated management network
- ECDIS hardened, default creds rotated, MFA enforced
- Bridge-to-engine OT/IT separation with firewalls
- Real-time threat detection across the fleet
- 24x7 shoreside SOC visibility into all 18 vessels
- Full IMO 2021 compliance with auditable evidence
"Before this engagement, our shoreside team had zero visibility into what was happening on our vessels. Now we see security events from the Indian Ocean in near-real-time. Our insurance underwriter reduced premiums on the basis of this monitoring alone."
Anonymous, Fleet CISO, Indian shipping enterprise
Key Lessons
What Other Teams Can Take Away
- Vessels are not isolated networks anymore. Crew internet, telemetry and shoreside management create attack paths into OT systems.
- Bandwidth-aware monitoring is essential. VSAT cost and bandwidth constraints require careful log compression and prioritization.
- OT/IT segmentation matters more at sea. Distance from shoreside response makes prevention more important than detection.
- IMO 2021 is the floor, not the ceiling. Insurance underwriters, charterers and port authorities increasingly demand evidence beyond minimum compliance.
Conclusion
Maritime cybersecurity is a distinct discipline combining IT, OT and operational technology security with regulatory frameworks (IMO 2021, IACS UR E26/E27) and the practical challenges of vessels operating at sea. Cloud-based monitoring with vessel-side SIEM appliances delivers the visibility maritime operators need while respecting bandwidth and operational constraints.
For Indian shipping operators, port authorities and offshore enterprises, cyber compliance is now operational reality. Codesecure delivers maritime-specialized cybersecurity programs covering vessel SIEM, OT/IT segmentation, crew training and shoreside SOC integration with deep sector expertise.
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Codesecure is an ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified cybersecurity firm. We deliver fixed-price engagements with named consultants and executive-ready outcomes across India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Singapore and Maldives.
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