KVH Industries’ approach to reducing cyber risk includes a cohesive group of initiatives, with seafarer training a primary focus.
As the maritime industry turns to digitalization to help improve operational efficiency, there is increasing awareness of the importance of protecting networks and vessels from cyber risks. KVH Industries, Inc., has announced “6-Level Cybersecurity,” a cohesive group of initiatives designed to provide proactive cybersecurity protection for the KVH hardware and maritime VSAT satellite network used by its global maritime customers.
“KVH’s approach to the extremely important issue of cybersecurity is to address the complexity in numerous ways, from training seafarers with our KVH VideotelTM ‘Cybersecurity at Sea’ program—which we will begin making available at no cost to our VSAT customers this month—to the many network safeguards we have in place,” says Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH’s chief executive officer.
A key level of KVH’s cybersecurity strategy addresses the important issue of seafarer training, as many incidents throughout the maritime industry can begin unknowingly with the crew. In June vessels subscribing to KVH’s mini-VSAT Broadbandsm connectivity service were able to receive the KVH Videotel “Cybersecurity at Sea” training program at no cost. The program, created in conjunction with maritime experts and based on regulations from the International Maritime Organization and guidelines from the shipping trade group BIMCO, covers such topics as assessing and reducing the risks of a cyber incident and responding to a cyber incident.
Other levels of KVH’s cybersecurity strategy involve satellite network security; terrestrial network security; hardware and network configuration; protected Internet egress; and response to threats and incidents.
By Jake Frith
Source: Maritime Journal