USCG Releases Ballas Water Type-Approval Testing Final Policy Letter; Maritime Cyber Alert 01-22

The Coast Guard’s Office of Operating and Environmental Standards ("CG-OES") has released Policy Letter 02-22 which describes the process for submitting viability testing methods to the Coast Guard and explains the information needed to evaluate a testing method. Stakeholders may submit viability testing methods to the Coast Guard as outlined in Policy Letter 02-22. The Coast Guard will make a decision on submitted testing methods using the established evaluation process found in the policy letter. Read more here.

The Coast Guard Cyber Command, Maritime Cyber Readiness Branch has issued Maritime Cyber Alert 01-22 to inform stakeholders of an increase in fake business websites targeting the Marine Transportation System (“MTS”).

Multiple MTS partners have discovered well-constructed, fake websites masquerading as their legitimate business websites. These sites are created presumably to steal information from or install malware on customers’ devices interacting with the sites. These spoofed websites are not designed to impact the maritime organization directly but resemble watering-hole style attacks where the intended targets are individuals and entities visiting the site. The spoofed websites are professional in appearance and quite sophisticated, some of which are presenting as .com domains. This level of detail can make it difficult to discern a real site from a fraudulent one. Read more.