State-Sponsored and Organized Crime Threats to Maritime Transportation Systems in the Context of the Attack on Ukraine

Abstract

: Due to its strategic importance and vast impact on the world economy, maritime transport has become a cyber battlefield. Cybersecurity organizations across the world notice and analyze adversaries such as Bear from Russia, Panda from China, Buffalo from Vietnam, Chollima from North Korea (DPRK), and others from Columbia, India, Turkey, and Iran, as well as hacktivist and E ‐ Crime. In 2014 ‐ 2023, Ukraine became the object of massive cyberattacks aimed at its political, social, and economic destabilization. This situation changes the perception of cyberspace and its importance for ensuring the security of the global economy, in particular, the maritime economy. Reports published by the US Coast Guard show that. In this publication, the author reviews the cybersecurity threat landscape targeting the maritime industry and transportation systems and analyzes the technics, tactics, and procedures (TTPs) used by threat actors.