In late June 2017, AP Moeller Maersk was forced to shut down its container operations in the Port of Los Angeles as their IT systems were infected with a ransomware which caused disruption to the booking systems. The company suffered damages amounting to USD 300 million. Cyber-attacks targeting the maritime sector are growing rapidly across the world and in Asia. Hackers are narrowing their focus on companies in the sector which are seen as tempting targets due to a perceived lack of cyber security investment and potential for significant operational disruption.

Solutions are being developed by international bodies in the maritime industry to try to improve cyber safety. Discuss what those solutions are, whether their improvements are sufficient, as well as any further improvements required. (6 Marks)