Academics and cyber experts have highlighted the need for proactive cybersecurity measures at the Vizhinjam International Seaport which has been nearing completion and is expected to be operational by May 2024.
A seminar organised by the University of Kerala in connection with the Keraleeyam festival recently deliberated on the emerging threats associated with critical installations like seaports.
Soniya B., Professor of Computer Science, Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering, underscored how highly competitive ports were vulnerable to physical and cybersecurity threats by foreign adversaries. She cited the example of Stuxnet, a malicious computer worm, which had targeted Iran’s nuclear programme before its detection in 2010. The virus apparently targeted supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.
