Hanwha gains cybersecurity Type Approval from ABS

Hanwha Systems’ cybersecurity solution for ships has been awarded the first E27 Type Approval (TA) certification for an Asian company from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

The solution, named SecuAider, addresses the growing technological threat to warships from either shoreside or sailing cyberwarriors, whose aim is to either isolate vessels, compromise their systems, or render them ineffective in some other way.

The Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies has outlined two varieties of cyberattack to which modern, increasingly tech-heavy and system-connected ships are vulnerable: untargeted or opportunistic attacks, and targeted attacks.

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As might be expected, while untargeted attacks can be reduced by simple cyberhygiene, targeted attacks are significantly harder to detect and counteract.

In particular, the trend towards distributed architecture and network-centric systems can leave gaps in a warship’s protection.

By making systems dependent on data from distributed sources, like other ships and UAV, navies are comprehensively increasing their capabilities, but also making themselves vulnerable to skilled cyberattackers.

That in turn has led to a rise in the necessity of cyberprotection within a naval warfare framework, and a simultaneous rise in the importance of meeting national and international cyberprotection standards, like the ABS’ E27 TA certificate.

NATO is concerned enough about cyberprotection to have set up its own measures to allow a common, coordinated approach to cyberdefence.

While Hanwha’s SecuAider system gained certification from the Korean Register in December 2024, attaining the ABS’ E27 TA certification allows the system to be used on vessels that need to adhere to ABS standards down to their equipment and component levels.

Hanwha said it expected the certification to help it advance into the global shipbuilding and maritime cybersecurity markets. The award of ABS E27 TA certification to SecuAider will mean Hanwha, alone in Asia, will be eligible to export and supply its cybersecurity solution to various global shipyards and shipping companies certified by ABS.