The maritime industry is not immune from cybersecurity risks. Navigation, product supplies and deliveries, radar systems and GPS systems are all digital and connected in today’s world, and can be subject to hacking and intrusions.

Voyage data recorders (VDRs) are connected to essential parts of a ship’s navigational and safety systems, including radar, ECDIS and GPS. Since they are all connected digitally, they can be vulnerable to hacking and intrusions, which include the insertion of malware and ransomware into the system, which can disrupt the navigation of the vessel. This result would be devastating to the maritime industry.

Danelec Marine has published a white paper discussing the cybersecurity risks to VDRs and countermeasures that can be taken to make VDRs more secure against risks.