Occasioned by the fact that October is nationally recognized as Cyber Security Awareness Month, Rear Adm. Paul Thomas, assistant commandant for prevention policy discusses the importance of cybersecurity and the U.S. Coast Guard’s role in cyber risk management.
“I want to thank you for your engagement on this topic since the U. S. Coast Guard Cyber Strategy was signed in June of 2015. Your interaction with me and my staff have allowed us to better understand the challenges faced by the maritime industry. Specifically, with your efforts and input we’ve increased the number of Area Maritime Security Committees with a cyber subcommittee, we’ve worked with IMO to create interim guidelines on maritime cyber risk management for vessels, and we’ve increased partnerships with other government agencies such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), researchers, and, most importantly, industry members.”
“While we remain dedicated to promoting awareness and information sharing of cyber vulnerabilities and risks, it is time to advance the conversation on cybersecurity and risk management programs. To properly protect our nation’s infrastructure, a cybersecurity and risk management program should identify cyber vulnerabilities and address these vulnerabilities. “
The first step is to establish an appropriate level of governance, which includes inventorying critical operational cyber systems, identifying the roles and responsibilities of key cybersecurity personnel, providing cyber awareness training for all employees, and increasing organizational resilience protocols post-incident, according to Paul Thomas.
Moreover, throughout the remainder of the month, Maritime Commons will highlight the direction the Coast Guard will take to identify and address cyber vulnerabilities within maritime infrastructure, which will include some recommended practices and how they can assist with the development of a strong cybersecurity and risk management program.
Source: USCG
