Speedcast, a leading communications and IT services provider, announced the launch of a new cybersecurity application by Cydome on its SIGMA network management platform. It addresses the explosive surge in cybersecurity threats to commercial maritime, yachting, offshore energy and port operations. The solution offers a simplified and streamlined approach to navigating the urgent need to comply with a U.S. Presidential Executive Order requiring mandatory reporting of cyber incidents, along with new International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) regulations beginning in July 2024, and the European Union’s Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) beginning in October 2024.

The new cyber application is made possible through the partnership with Cydome, who offers its real time detection and protection solution with a managed 24×7 security operations center (SOC)  service. The Cydome solution offers holistic protection including multi-layered cyber protection of all assets, real-time monitoring fleet-wide, AI-based threat detection, continuous vulnerabilities scanning, and security information and event management (SIEM) technology for compliance and incident management. Cydome’s SOC service provides immediate monitoring and handling, periodic vulnerability assessment and regulatory audits and certifications. A single dashboard provides risk scores for each vessel, risk and compliance scores for the entire fleet and the ability to drill down to any vessel’s alerts, events, IT and OT assets and their vulnerabilities.

Cydome is the latest high-value capability added to Speedcast’s SIGMA platform, augmenting its enterprise-grade SD-WAN technology for high uptime and bandwidth optimization, its ability to run customer applications in virtual machines on-network for best performance, and its staff and crew entertainment applications. The new cyber offering runs on SIGMA hardware installed onboard and at fleet headquarters as well as in customer-managed virtual machines. It will become available as a native virtual machine service within the SIGMA platform later this year.

“Our partnership with Cydome adds best-in-class cybersecurity protection and compliance as a seamless component of our SIGMA platform,” said Dee Schwalb, Chief Product Officer at Speedcast. “SIGMA is known as a market-leading solution for seamless, multi-path connectivity, but the platform offers more than advanced communications capabilities. Partnering with customers, we’ve identified edge solutions that can accelerate remote operations and we’ve layered on those services as applications to the SIGMA platform. These specialized applications cover everything from data management needs, to supporting crew welfare, and now cyber security.”

A report by the law firm HFW tracked the average cost of a cyberattack in the maritime sector rising threefold in a single year to $550,000 USD in 2023. Calling the industry an “easy target,” it identified generative AI as an enabler of the growth and called on maritime organizations to seriously fortify their defenses against cyber threats.

“As the maritime industry undergoes profound digitalization and communication enhancements, the partnership between Cydome and Speedcast is a beacon of innovation and reliability. Together, we are pioneering solutions that not only meet the evolving needs of providing a secure backbone but also ensure compliance. Our collaborative efforts empower maritime companies to navigate this transformative era with confidence, security, and seamless connectivity, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and safety across the seas,” said Nir Ayalon, CEO of Cydome.

In April, Riviera Maritime Media’s Maritime Optimisation & Communications magazine hosted a Maritime Cyber Security Webinar Week, featuring a series of webinars focused on secure connectivity, compliance and the cyber security awareness gap. Speedcast and Cydome joined a session to help demystify the latest maritime cybersecurity regulations and offer guidance on cost-effective compliance. The session covered the latest developments in maritime cyber security regulations from bodies like IMO and IACS, as well as EU and US authorities. These regulations carry profound implications and challenges for ship owners, operators and the wider industry. Other panelists included a cyber security expert from RINA, which provides quality assurance and certifications for the global shipping industry, and Stena Rederi AB’s Risk and Compliance Manager and OT Security Officer. The webinar recording is free to watch on demand by visiting www.speedcast.com/innovation.