THE TACTICS MEETING

Maritime Cybersecurity: IT, OT, and the Evolving Threat Landscape


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In this episode of The Tactics Meeting, Dan Smiley gathers a roundtable of experts to tackle the invisible but growing threat to the maritime industry: Cyber Security. We are joined by first-time guest Charles Grau from Fairwater, who brings his background in aerospace and the to the table. Together with regulars Jim Butler, Mark Curtis, and Theo Camlin, the panel discusses why the biggest threat to a vessel might not be the sea itself, but the vendor walking up the gangway with a thumb drive.

From the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack to GPS spoofing in the Red Sea, we explore how the threat landscape is shifting from traditional oil spills to cargo fires and digital intrusions. The group also debates the challenges of connectivity during an incident—balancing the security of VPNs and firewalls against the need for real-time information sharing via tools like Starlink.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Aerospace vs. Maritime: Charles compares high-regulation aviation security to the current state of shipping.
  • The Human Firewall: Why well-trained crew members are your best defense against phishing and social engineering.
  • IT vs. OT: Understanding the difference between Information Technology and the Operational Technology that actually drives the ship.
  • Response Reality: Mark shares a story about training responders on software during an active ship fire in the North Sea.
  • The "Sticky Card" Problem: Navigating the digital divide when different agencies can’t use the same software.
  • Save the Dates:

    • March 24-25, 2025: National Harbor Safety Conference in Seattle, WA.
    • October 21-22, 2026: Washington State Maritime Cooperative Planning Conference in Tacoma, WA.
    • Sponsors: This episode is brought to you by Gallagher Marine Systems (GMS) and the Washington State Maritime Cooperative (WSMC).

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