journal article·2021-05-28Open access

AIS Data Vulnerability Indicated by a Spoofing Case-Study

Andrej Androjna, Marko Perkovič, Ivica Pavic, Jakša Mišković

Applied Sciences· Volume 11· Issue 11

Abstract

This paper takes a close look at the landscape of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) as a major source of information for maritime situational awareness (MSA) and identifies its vulnerabilities and challenges for safe navigation and shipping. As an important subset of cyber threats affecting many maritime systems, the AIS is subject to problems of tampering and reliability; indeed, the messages received may be inadvertently false, jammed, or intentionally spoofed. A systematic literature review was conducted for this article, complemented by a case study of a specific spoofing event near Elba in December 2019, which confirmed that the typical maritime AIS could be easily spoofed and generate erroneous position information. This intentional spoofing has affected navigation in international waters and passage through territorial waters. The maritime industry is neither immune to cyberattacks nor fully prepared for the risks associated with the use of modern digital systems. Maintaining seaworthiness in the face of the impact of digital technologies requires a robust cybersecurity framework.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Maritime Navigation and Safety · Maritime Security and History · International Maritime Law Issues

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport, University of Ljubljana, 6320 Portorož, Slovenia

Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia

Croatian Defence Academy, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia

Funding

Slovenian National Research Agency

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