NATO CCDCOE publishes new policy brief on cyber threats to maritime port infrastructure

The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) has published a new policy brief, “Addressing State-Linked Cyber Threats to Critical Maritime Port Infrastructure,” which assesses the cybersecurity posture and challenges facing maritime port infrastructure and offers recommendations for strengthening NATO’s maritime cyber defence.

Maritime ports handle approximately 80% of global trade and serve as vital nodes in NATO’s defence logistics network. However, they are increasingly threatened by sophisticated cyber operations carried out by state-linked actors. The authors of the brief note that recent intelligence indicates a high frequency of cyberattacks targeting port facilities across Europe and the Mediterranean, with many of these attacks attributed to threat actors originating from Russia, Iran, and China.

The policy brief on maritime port infrastructure provides an overview of the challenges of digitalisation in the maritime sector demanding coordination between the traditional industrial control systems and contemporary digital solutions; the threat landscape from state-sponsored advanced persistent threats to financially motivated cybercriminals and the policy gaps in current cybersecurity frameworks.

The researchers point out that maritime port cybersecurity requires immediate policy intervention to establish sector-specific intelligence sharing networks, coordination mechanisms, and resilience standards. The recommendations outlined in the brief provide a framework for strengthening NATO’s maritime cyber defence while preserving the commercial efficiency that makes the ports economically vital.

The brief is based on NATO CCDCOE research and recent threat intelligence analysis supported by the CTI companies EclecticIQ and Silobreaker. The authors also acknowledge the valuable insights from Cdr. Mike Widmann and NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), whose expertise contributed to shaping the maritime military logistic dimension of this brief.

The full policy brief is available for download in the CCDCOE website Library.