A new NATO policy brief warns of growing cyber threats targeting maritime port infrastructure, urging urgent action to boost port cyber security and resilience.
The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) has released a comprehensive policy brief titled ’Addressing State-Linked Cyber Threats to Critical Maritime Port Infrastructure.’
It highlights how state-linked actors increasingly target ports, threatening global trade and NATO’s defence logistics.
“Maritime port facilities represent cornerstone assets for national economic stability, energy security and NATO’s operational logistics framework,” the brief outlines.
”With ports facilitating approximately 80% of international trade, their strategic importance extends beyond commercial considerations to serve as vital nodes in national defence strategies and crisis response capabilities.”
Size of the problem
The report outlines the cyber threat landscape faced by maritime ports. It identifies Russia, Iran and China as the main sources of recent cyberattacks on port infrastructure across Europe and the Mediterranean.
It warns that these attacks exploit vulnerabilities in industrial control systems and digital platforms that run port operations.
To bolster port resilience, the CCDCOE recommends immediate policy interventions including enhanced intelligence-sharing networks, cybersecurity coordination mechanisms and the development of sector-specific standards.
The brief also stresses the need for a unified NATO strategy to defend both the commercial and military dimensions of maritime logistics.
Supported by CTI experts from EclecticIQ and Silobreaker and drawing on insights from NATO Allied Maritime Command, the brief offers a crucial framework for future maritime cyber defence policy.
The full policy brief can be accessed via the CCDCOE website.
