Fortifying Maritime Cyber Defence Through Secure Ship Zones and Network Safeguards

Abstract

This thesis explores the increasingly critical issue of cybersecurity in maritime operations with a focus on shipbuilding practices. Ships can face heightened exposure to cyber threats, resulting in compromised safety, operational efficiency, and data integrity as they become more reliant on interconnected digital technologies. The objective of this research is to plan security zones in ships, initiate network protection safeguards, and develop a ship cyber resilience test procedure that aims to assess the network's resilience in real-world scenarios so that it can withstand and recover from cyberattacks.

An elementary analysis of existing network architectures, the identification of critical systems, and the evolution of robust cybersecurity measures such as network segmentation, firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and encryption protocols is included in the research methodology of this thesis. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures. Testing and validation can be performed through simulated attacks and vulnerability assessments to identify weak points in the network.

The study demonstrates the necessity of implementing detailed network divisions, creating a proactive security policy, and conducting periodic cybersecurity training for ship personnel. Operational security and potential attack surface increased while overall security enhancement happened through these measures at Meyer Turku's network architecture. The necessary recommendations consist of permanent network surveillance along with scheduled system updates and detailed incident response preparation for future security risks.