From: JDSupra Business Advisor
by Christopher Burris, Ben McJunkin, Nicholas Oldham | King & Spalding
Over the past year, various institutions and organizations—both domestic and international—have shown an interest in moving the increasingly prevalent cybersecurity conversation offshore. Domestically, both Congress and federal agencies have pushed to mandate cybersecurity measures for ships, ports, terminals, and offshore facilities. Internationally, a United Nations agency has issued new guidelines designed to enhance cybersecurity in worldwide shipping operations.
Even experienced energy companies may overlook this confluence of interest in maritime cybersecurity and its implications. Critical energy infrastructure has long been at the forefront of cybersecurity, both because it is a frequent target of cyberattacks and because the potentially debilitating effects of a successful attack. However, maritime cybersecurity regulations will not necessarily target just the energy industry and are likely to come from a variety of sources, some of which may be unfamiliar to industry players. As we head into 2017, we encourage members of the energy industry to recognize and prepare for maritime cybersecurity regulation that is unquestionably on the horizon domestically and internationally.
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