Vessel OT is not an office network. Stop defending it like one.
Bridge navigation, engine management, cargo control, and satellite comms fail differently than IT — and the USCG cyber provisions now hold operators accountable for all of it. Eight controls that respect how vessels actually operate.
A control that blocks navigation data mid-transit is itself a safety incident. Every control must pass the “do no harm” test first.
Cloud-dependent security fails at sea. Controls must enforce locally and sync when satellite links allow.
Controls that require security expertise on board will be bypassed by day three of a voyage.
Bridge systems, cargo control, and crew Wi-Fi must not share a flat network. Segmentation is your highest-leverage control.
On vessel workstations, prevention-based containment beats detection — there is no SOC analyst at sea to chase alerts.
USB drives and technician laptops are the dominant vessel infection path. Scan, log, and restrict at the gangway.
Tamper-evident local logs that sync to shore give inspectors and insurers the evidence trail the provisions demand.
A cyber incident procedure the crew has never drilled is paper. Fold it into existing drill schedules.