The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has teamed up with the United States Coast Guard(USCG) and private industry to issue a new cybersecurity document that will assist the maritime industry in securing the transportation of hazardous liquids in ports around the United States.

The document is in response to the recognition that the transfer process of bulk hazardous liquids by the maritime industry is part of a sophisticated supply chain that uses multiple systems that use the Internet. As such, they are vulnerable to cyber intrusions, which could disrupt the supply chain and cause widespread issues.

The Profile is designed to help companies “clarify how cybersecurity fits into their mission priorities and how best to allocate resources to secure their information and operational systems. Benefits also include improved understanding of the environment to foster consistent analysis of cybersecurity risks, and alignment of industry and USCG cybersecurity priorities.”

According to the USCG: “These facilities face inherent cybersecurity vulnerabilities and the U.S. Coast Guard hopes this profile will assist organizations with mitigating them, and provide a long-term process for developing an internal cyber risk management program.” It is designed to help companies evaluate security controls over the information systems that support storage transfer, pressure and vapor monitoring, emergency response and spill mitigation systems.

The Profile is entitled Maritime Bulk Liquid Transfer Cybersecurity Profile and can be accessed here.