The Port of Singapore inaugurates its maritime cybersecurity SOC

As mentioned last year, the Port of Singapore authorities inaugurated their Maritime Security Operations Center (MSOC) on May 16, 2019. Singapore is a major global transshipment hub, particularly for container traffic.

“It is therefore important that we protect our maritime and port infrastructure to prevent any major disruption to port operations and the delivery of services,”
said Niam Chiang Meng, Chairman of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

The center, originally scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2018, is now operational 24/7. This is somewhat notable, as many Security Operations Centers initially operate during business hours with on-call coverage during their early phases.

The stated objective of the MSOC is to strengthen Singapore’s maritime cybersecurity posture and respond to potential cyberattacks targeting critical maritime infrastructure. The SOC is operated by ST Engineering, a Singapore-based company active in sectors ranging from aerospace to maritime. Its announced capabilities include:

• detection and monitoring of cyberattacks through analysis of IT environment activity (apparently not covering OT systems at this stage),
• detection of anomalies and threats,
• cyber incident response using appropriate technological solutions.

Beyond the SOC itself, the Port of Singapore has also launched additional initiatives. The port worked with the Singapore Shipping Association and Singapore Polytechnic to develop an intermediate maritime cybersecurity training program aimed at improving participants’ understanding of cyber threat management. The announced duration of the course, however, is only one day.

Authorities have also collaborated with the Singapore Maritime Institute and several local higher education institutions to develop a maritime cybersecurity research program. This initiative will focus on the protection of onboard systems, with the goal of reducing cyber risks linked to the growing digitalization of ships.

Another noteworthy point is the commitment by the port authorities to share cyber threat intelligence and incident information with other port authorities.

Link to the press release
Link to the inaugural speech

The SOC motto, visible in the inauguration photo, is: Identify – Protect – Detect – Respond – Recover.

Fair winds to them.