Nowadays, you can no longer ignore IT-security in the maritime world. Ships, harbors, logistics and everything else involved runs on an IT infrastructure.
In the maritime world, however, you must deal with complications that do not exist in other sectors. Next to physical limitations, you also have to deal with specific rules and legislations.
The maritime sector used to be considered relatively safe due to the lack of Internet connectivity and the isolated nature of ships in the sea. However, new technologies and the increasing use of automation and digitalization are enabling the industry to be more efficient, but also increases its risk of an attack. Cyber security needs to be in place in order to handle the safety considerations and risks. This is going to be our focus during the minor.

Minor content

During the minor, you might be working on one of the existing projects of the professorship, from building a database of all maritime cyber incidents, setting up a maritime technology hacking lab, working on a maritime honeynet to using tabletop exercises and cyber incident simulations to train crew and management to be more aware on the dangers of cyber security. Next to that, there are also projects of external clients, like executing a penetration test on board of a vessel.

This minor is offered by the professorship Maritime IT Security.

Structure of the minor

During the minor, we are going to visit the Maritime Institute Willem Barentz on Terschelling, where you, among other things, get to sail on the simulator.
After completing this module, students can:
 

• Analyse the several operational and tactical organizational processes in the maritime field;
• Analyse the available ICT options in the field;
• Perform a security analysis on a maritime network or infrastructure;
• Provide a solid advice on the design of an infrastructure;
• Propose measures that benefit information security;
• Map and redesign processes while taking into account the safeguarding of the integrity of the data;
• Create and implement an infrastructure test plan;
• Explain a topic in a responsible manner based on existing sources;
• Write a justification description of the competences to be achieved.
• By means of peer review, you are able to reflect critically on your own research and that of others.

 

Recommended Knowledge

The minor is suitable for students in the third or fourth year of a bachelor's program. You must have obtained at least your propaedeutic year. There are no formal requirements for this minor.

However, an interest in maritime cybersecurity and/or maritime cyber security is a must.
Basic digital knowledge is required.
 

• The minor is offered in English (B1).
• The minor can be followed in a hybrid form.

Examination

To assess whether you have achieved the objectives of this module, one assignment must be completed in a group. All components mentioned in the design of the minor must be included. You will be assessed on the following 3 facets (all three facets must be sufficient):
 

• Activities
• Paper
• Accountability description of the competences to be achieved by the student