The U.S. Maritime Administration informs that there have been reported GPS interference incidents in various locations around the world, especially in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The U.S. Maritime Administration has issued US Maritime Advisory No. 2022-005 regarding Global Positioning System (GPS) interference in various locations around the world, particularly in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The U.S. Coast Guard has also received incident reports from the Suez Canal, Cyprus, Malta, and Istanbul, the Persian Gulf near Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and off the coast to Brazil. GPS interference in the maritime domain is also tracked and combatted through the NATO Shipping Center.
As described, Automatic Identification System (AIS) devices do not inherently have virus or malware protection, so cybersecurity best practices against hacking should be adhered to if you connect your AIS to a network or update it using removable electronic devices (e.g., USB drives).
While it is an invaluable situation tool, AIS should never be solely relied upon for collision avoidance or navigational decision-making,
For this reason, the Republic of the Marshall Island (RMI) Maritime Administration encourages RMI-registered vessels to report any suspected or confirmed electronic inference incidents.
