One of Singapore’s top cybersecurity Tsars says the shipping industry needs to band together to combat the growing threat posed by cyber criminals.
Teo Chin Hock, deputy chief executive of Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency (CSA), says this is necessary as cyber criminals often hunt in what he described as “packs”.
Speaking at the Singapore Maritime Technology Conference (SMTC) he also highlighted the shortage of qualified professionals in the industry in the Lion Republic.
The CSA predicts that there is a demand for at least 3,400 full time jobs in the cyber-security profession in Singapore.
Lee Fook Sun, chairman of cyber-security firm Ensign Infosecurity, warned that industry professionals do not come cheap.
He told delegates at SMTC that a typical chief information security officer (CISO) can earn at least $500,000 per year.
For its part, Singapore’s Maritime Port Authority (MPA) said it was rolling out several initiatives to raise awareness of cyber security.
Chief executive Quay Ley Hoon said it was teaming up with the Singapore Shipping Asscoiation (SSA) and Singapore Polytechnic to offer one day cyber security awareness courses.
Michael Phoon, executive director of the SSA, told TradeWinds on the sidelines of the conference that the initiative was aimed at bringing awareness to ship’s crews and non-executive staff members at Singapore maritime companies.
Shipping has been the target of numerous cyber-attacks with the most high profile probably being that against Maersk in 2017
The Danish group's port and shipping operations were severely disrupted by a NotPetya cyber-attack which cost the company $300m and disrupoted operations for two weeks.
