The Department of Homeland Security is looking to commercial port operators to help it find vulnerabilities in U.S. ports and optimize protection measures.
The DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate recently published a Request for Information inviting port operators to participate in its Maritime Port Resiliency and Security Testbed Project.
The information participants provide will help to create virtual representations of common port systems within a virtual “testbed,” DHS said. Researchers will test functionality of virtual ports and identify exploitable gaps in these systems, with the intention of creating ways to mitigate and eventually close these vulnerabilities.
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Because potential disruptions to operations can severely impact the supply chain and U.S. economic health, the project aims to better understand how commercial port operators use information technology and operational technology systems and the resiliency of these systems, DHS said.
The deadline to submit an RFI is 5 p.m. Oct. 4.
Based on information it receives, the directorate will provide cybersecurity recommendations to the maritime port industry, DHS said.
“This effort is expanding collaboration between S&T and industry experts to address the growing need for effective cybersecurity measures to ensure safe and efficient maritime commerce,” said S&T Project Manager Jason McCasland. “Our goal is to successfully design and develop a virtual testbed where tactics, techniques, and procedures can be created for effective response to threats to critical maritime infrastructure without impacting real-world operations.
“For that to be successful, we require baseline information on the equipment U.S. ports are utilizing in their daily operations.”
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