Sailing the Seven Seas Securely from Port to Port – OT Access Security for Ships and Cranes

The article discusses the growing importance of Operational Technology (OT) security within the maritime and industrial sectors, particularly as marine vessel and port operations increasingly rely on digitalization and automation. As vessels return to shore roughly every six months and container cranes become predominantly automated, the need for robust security measures and secure remote access management for industrial control systems (ICS) has intensified.

SSH Communications Security addresses these challenges by bridging the gap between Information Technology (IT) and OT through its PrivX OT Edition. The company has successfully implemented this solution for two distinct customers, significantly improving their access control and security measures.

In the maritime industry, a prominent vessel operator faced substantial obstacles in securing remote access for their fleet. The existing security framework was insufficient for their complex operations, leading to always-on connections that made it difficult to associate identities with sessions. Additionally, the lack of granular access controls and comprehensive auditing capabilities posed significant risks in terms of security and compliance, compounded by scalability issues.

To meet these needs, the operator adopted the PrivX OT Edition, which centralized and streamlined remote access management for engineers and vendors. Key features of this solution included Just-in-Time (JIT) and Just Enough Access (JEA) principles, comprehensive auditing, and a unified access gateway that accommodates technicians regardless of their location. The deployment was executed in the AWS cloud for high performance, ensuring efficient maintenance, monitoring, and diagnostics for thousands of container ships globally. This strategic implementation not only enhanced operational safety and prevented costly delays but also positioned the company to comply with industry standards, thereby modernizing their operations for competitive advantage.

Similarly, a global manufacturer of industrial cranes encountered challenges with their previous security measures, which lacked the granularity and transparency necessary to maintain secure remote access. Vendor technicians struggled with unrestricted access across regions, leading to potential security vulnerabilities. The supplier moved to PrivX OT Edition, which allowed for regional restrictions on access to specific cranes, ensuring that maintenance engineers had the appropriate level of access exclusively as needed.

The new approach facilitated comprehensive auditing and a non-disruptive deployment process, adding granular access control without overhauling existing infrastructure. This transformation enabled the manufacturer to ensure proper segregation of duties while securely managing access to industrial cranes, thus streamlining both ad-hoc and scheduled technician access.

In conclusion, the adoption of PrivX OT Edition offers companies a centralized solution to manage access to critical IT and OT systems, eliminating the need for disparate point solutions. It promotes a coherent, scalable framework catering to security needs on an industrial scale, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and safeguarding sensitive data across sectors.