Cynalytica Inc. announces its SerialGuard® AnalytICS Platform now offers monitoring, deep packet inspection (DPI) support, and intrusion detection for legacy NMEA protocols. Its latest extension provides enhanced situational awareness and security to vulnerable maritime Industrial Control Systems (ICS) through NMEA-specific packet evaluations, analysis, and intrusion detection capabilities.
“In addition to the serious threats posed to their OT network, one of the maritime industry’s biggest security challenges today is the protection of their navigation and communications systems from persistent cyber threats. Vessels are increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks that can cause GPS interference and spoofing, AIS spoofing, bridge-to-bridge communications spoofing, and other communications jamming which can have catastrophic kinetic consequences,” explains Richard Robinson, CEO of Cynalytica. “Distressingly, many of these navigation and communication instruments rely on NMEA 0183 serial protocols, which do not have authentication, encryption, or validation capabilities. They also lack a sufficient level of real-time visibility and data validation capabilities that would help detect such attacks. These security limitations make the NMEA-connected devices exceptionally susceptible to hackers, and the consequences could prove adverse.”
With the SerialGuard® AnalytICS Platform, the maritime industry can now help address critical vulnerabilities within their NMEA-connected instruments and other serial-connected control systems simultaneously. The extended capabilities will provide maritime operators with an unprecedented level of visibility into NMEA-connected devices while empowering them to baseline communications, accurately monitor behavioral patterns, and create alert rulesets to detect cyber attacks and misconfigurations quickly.”
Designed to protect serial-connected ICS, the SerialGuard® AnalytICS Platform is a fully-passive and fail-safe monitoring and intrusion detection system (IDS) that brings real-time visibility to high-risk assets. The platform consists of the SerialGuard® sensor that passively taps serial communications, combined with Cynalytica’s AnalytICS Engine – a monitoring and intrusion detection system, and data validation tool that enables operators to baseline normal operations and create alert rulesets to detect anomalous behavior.
The SerialGuard® AnalytICS Platform is easily deployed across most maritime industries including naval vessels, passenger ships, container ships, tankers, bulk carriers, ports, and many more.
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