Satellite cybersecurity solutions are more critical than ever due to the uprise in cybersecurity risks that the maritime industry is facing. What is IMO 2021 Compliance?
What You Need to Know About IMO 2021 Compliance 
This year, new rules and regulations have been released in an effort to keep all vessels and assets safe and secure. To learn more, read on for everything you need to know about IMO 2021 compliance.
What is IMO 2021?
The purpose of IMO 2021 is to ensure that vessels and assets at sea and onshore are safe and secure. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved this resolution specifically to address the multitude of cyber risks that the maritime industry faces.
Cybersecurity Risks
List risks, and then plot them according to impact and likelihood
What is put forward in the IMO Resolution MSC.428(98) is designed to effectively address these cybersecurity risks and act as a guide for vessels to ensure that their safety management systems are appropriately designed. Almost all of the international shipping community is obligated to comply with IMO 2021, meaning that internationally voyaging vessels must have cyber risks included within their safety management system.
Cybersecurity Risk Management
For this reason, vessels must have a cyber risk management framework that adheres to the principles set in IMO Resolution MSC.428(98). Moreover, the relevant safeguards need to be implemented and the safety management system updated. To comply with the ISM Code, cyber risks need to be addressed within the year 2021.
How Do You Know if Your Safety Management System is Ready?
To ascertain whether or not your safety management system is in compliance, you need to understand your current cybersecurity situation. In addition, to effectively address cyber risks, you must determine organizational roles and responsibilities as well as distinguish the systems and data that, when attacked, can jeopardize operations.
Moreover, you must implement risk control processes and measures and a contingency plan if a cyber-attack occurs. Detection is also crucial, meaning your vessel must have the necessary systems and procedures in place to identify a cyber attack quickly.
Of course, if one does occur, you also need to be able to respond immediately. This requires a plan of action in order to restore the systems needed for ongoing operations or services.
Finally, recovery is another essential aspect. In the case of a cyber attack, you will want to have implemented measures to backup and restore all systems so that nothing is lost or damaged forever.
How Do You Find the Appropriate Cybersecurity Solutions for Your Vessel?
Now that you know that you have to implement cybersecurity solutions, it is time to find a provider. This can be challenging because not all providers, products, and services are of the same quality, so you want to ensure you are obtaining yours from a reputable company.
The ideal company will offer a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity solutions specifically created for the maritime industry. In addition, any virtual security operations center solutions will align with the IMO 2021 recommendations.
Potential Cybersecurity Solutions
When looking at potential solutions, make sure that they will assist you with making operations more efficient while still being cost-effective. Moreover, they should prioritize authenticating data and safeguarding your onboard systems from viruses and potential threats. Their solutions should offer options for restoring data, keeping networks segregated with multiple access levels, and deploying software updates remotely.
Cybersecurity Threat Protection
In terms of detecting potential threats, the best cybersecurity solutions will have multi-layer cybersecurity coverage and an advanced threat protection system that identifies suspicious emails and receives antivirus updates quickly. Similarly, your cybersecurity system provider should also assist you in selecting the appropriate combination of applications based on the unique needs of your vessel. Finally, their professional team should be experts in advising you on how to align with the new ISO 2021 regulations.
IMO 2021 Compliance
When it comes to essential satcom for offshore, you also want to ensure that your vessels and company assets have reliable and flexible connectivity. The best technologies will not only keep you safe from cyber attacks but will also enable you to monitor operations, collect big data, and expedite offshore analysis. All of these are crucial to ensuring that operations function as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Do you need to update your vessel safety management system to comply with ISO 2021? If so, what is holding you back? What further questions do you have about the ISM Code? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.