"More IT Security in Port Terminals"
Ports are critical infrastructures and require improved security, as attacks resulting in disruptions could significantly impact the economy. Digitalized container terminal operations, in particular, face various potential security risks. The movement of transporters between ships, trucks, and trains during loading and unloading will be automated in the future, making them cyber-physical systems capable of reacting to the environment using sensors, tracking their location at terminals using actuators, and automatically processing transportation orders. These cyber-physical systems will be exposed to hacking, physical tampering, and other risks. Therefore, research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF and its industry partners have developed a new technique and toolset to increase cyber-physical systems' security against attacks and to help improve supply chain security. Their solution involves using digital twins to increase critical infrastructures' resilience and applying a three-stage plan to identify, localize, and rectify malfunctions. This article continues to discuss the growing automation of container terminal operations, threats facing port operators, and the scientists' solution for protecting port terminals from cyberattacks.