The Department of Homeland Security is not only in ports of entry but also ensures maritime borders are secure. The DHS in collaboration with other security agencies ensures American transport systems are safe for American travelers and their properties. In this paper I will look on cyberattacks on maritime systems and the measures that can be put in place to combat maritime threats.
Maritime security is very key as far as the security of the American people and resources is concerned. Terrorists can use ships to enter the American soil and hurt Americans. The presence of advanced technology can facilitate terrorists to attack Americans remotely. Maritime systems attack for the past three years have been on the rise to a tune of around 900% (Gold, 2021). This show how serious the DHS should be to counter the attacks. Though, the majority of these attacks may not have claimed Americans lives, the property destroyed is a blow to the economic wellness of America. Affected firms may fail to point the source of economic loss as cyberattacks with an aim of being compensated by the insurance firms, but, the maritime security threat is an issue of concern.
Piracy on waterways is no longer a robbery but a mean that a network of terrorists is using to collect billions of dollars every year to fund their activities. After hijacking ships terrorists demand a ransom. This made the amount demanded as ransom to go up from $150,000 to $5.4 million in 2011 (gCaptain, 2011). The Al-Shabaab terror group that has its base in Somalia, a war torn nation in East Africa, has been on the frontline of hijacking ships with a goal of disrupting the American economy.
Cyberattacks in waterways targets cargo ships, oil tankers and yachts used for tourism. Terrorists are now able to control critical systems of a ship like propulsion, navigation and radars. This makes ships carrying goods to be directed to a wrong route where cargo is stolen or the ship is withheld until a ransom is given. If a ship way is altered there can be a very destructive collision in the ocean or the sea. Cyberattacks on oil tankers can result to spillage that can affect the ecological environment of an area as well as destroy coastal areas (Graham, 2018). These attacks target ships that run on outdated windows NT operating system platform.
The measures that need to be in place to counter terrorism activities in ships and ports includes; use of modern technology, dealing with issues that make people engage in maritime piracy, putting measures in place to deal with black market and establishing dedicated security agencies purposely to monitor what goes on around coastal areas.
What makes terrorists to gain access in ships is outdated technology used to run ships. There should be a regulation in place requiring ship owners to ensure their ships runs on modern platforms that are secure. The current operating systems used in the ship industry were secure in 1990’s. Today, these systems are easier to hack and alter their functioning, bearing in mind they had a default login credentials that are easier to guess, that is, admin/1234 (Montalbano, 2018). It should be a standard for all ship dealers to have recent windows 10 operating system on their system. This is because this platform has enhanced security features that are difficulty to hack.
The U.S. government should lead the international community in dealing with issues that make people engage in piracy. The U.S. is the main target of maritime attacks. For example, all the attacks carried out on waterways by the Al-Shabaab militia are meant to harm U.S. citizens or their properties. The issues that make people to participate in criminal activities need to be addressed so as to have a lasting solution. For instance, illegal fishing along the Somali coastline should be dealt with (Raunek, 2021). This is because illegal fishing is depleting fish in the region leaving Somalia citizens without a source of livelihood and as a result they engage in piracy. Other measures include; helping the nation restore democracy, providing an alternative source of employment, among other measures.
The black market is another thing that need to be checked. This is because piracy in the seas and oceans thrive because goods from hijacked ships are able to find a ready market. These goods benefit the rich business people and tycoons who are able to buy them and then sell them at the prevailing market price, hence making huge profits. The U.S. government should cooperate with local governments to dismantle these illegal markets. For example, the U.S. government need to work with the Mexican government to curb the rising cases of piracy in the Gulf of Mexico (Semple, 2020). The privacy at the Gulf of Mexico has robbed American crews their personal items like computers, money, phones and other valuable items, without forgetting billions of dollars that businesses people lose in the process.
The coastal areas are not the only part of the transport system, but also, a source of employment and revenue for the government. They are thousands of people who flock coastal areas for tourism purposes. These people do not undergo thorough screening by the DHS staffs as some spend a day or two on the coastal area. This is an area with a lapse as terrorists can land on the American coastal area as tourists. This brings forth a need for the establishment of a security agency purposely mandated to monitor the people on the coastal areas. This will ensure American citizens living and doing business around the coastal areas are safe.
Maritime security is very key as far as the security of the American people and resources is concerned. Terrorists can use ships to enter the American soil and hurt Americans. The presence of advanced technology can facilitate terrorists to attack Americans remotely. Maritime systems attack for the past three years have been on the rise to a tune of around 900% (Gold, 2021). This show how serious the DHS should be to counter the attacks. Though, the majority of these attacks may not have claimed Americans lives, the property destroyed is a blow to the economic wellness of America. Affected firms may fail to point the source of economic loss as cyberattacks with an aim of being compensated by the insurance firms, but, the maritime security threat is an issue of concern.
Piracy on waterways is no longer a robbery but a mean that a network of terrorists is using to collect billions of dollars every year to fund their activities. After hijacking ships terrorists demand a ransom. This made the amount demanded as ransom to go up from $150,000 to $5.4 million in 2011 (gCaptain, 2011). The Al-Shabaab terror group that has its base in Somalia, a war torn nation in East Africa, has been on the frontline of hijacking ships with a goal of disrupting the American economy.
The measures that need to be in place to counter terrorism activities in ships and ports includes; use of modern technology, dealing with issues that make people engage in maritime piracy, putting measures in place to deal with black market and establishing dedicated security agencies purposely to monitor what goes on around coastal areas.
What makes terrorists to gain access in ships is outdated technology used to run ships. There should be a regulation in place requiring ship owners to ensure their ships runs on modern platforms that are secure. The current operating systems used in the ship industry were secure in 1990’s. Today, these systems are easier to hack and alter their functioning, bearing in mind they had a default login credentials that are easier to guess, that is, admin/1234 (Montalbano, 2018). It should be a standard for all ship dealers to have recent windows 10 operating system on their system. This is because this platform has enhanced security features that are difficulty to hack.
The U.S. government should lead the international community in dealing with issues that make people engage in piracy. The U.S. is the main target of maritime attacks. For example, all the attacks carried out on waterways by the Al-Shabaab militia are meant to harm U.S. citizens or their properties. The issues that make people to participate in criminal activities need to be addressed so as to have a lasting solution. For instance, illegal fishing along the Somali coastline should be dealt with (Raunek, 2021). This is because illegal fishing is depleting fish in the region leaving Somalia citizens without a source of livelihood and as a result they engage in piracy. Other measures include; helping the nation restore democracy, providing an alternative source of employment, among other measures.
The black market is another thing that need to be checked. This is because piracy in the seas and oceans thrive because goods from hijacked ships are able to find a ready market. These goods benefit the rich business people and tycoons who are able to buy them and then sell them at the prevailing market price, hence making huge profits. The U.S. government should cooperate with local governments to dismantle these illegal markets. For example, the U.S. government need to work with the Mexican government to curb the rising cases of piracy in the Gulf of Mexico (Semple, 2020). The privacy at the Gulf of Mexico has robbed American crews their personal items like computers, money, phones and other valuable items, without forgetting billions of dollars that businesses people lose in the process.
The coastal areas are not the only part of the transport system, but also, a source of employment and revenue for the government. They are thousands of people who flock coastal areas for tourism purposes. These people do not undergo thorough screening by the DHS staffs as some spend a day or two on the coastal area. This is an area with a lapse as terrorists can land on the American coastal area as tourists. This brings forth a need for the establishment of a security agency purposely mandated to monitor the people on the coastal areas. This will ensure American citizens living and doing business around the coastal areas are safe.
