Enhancing Maritime Cybersecurity Risk Management through the Integration of Emerging Technologies and the Analysis of Human Factors

This thesis researches the essential aspects of risk management, incident response, the emerging technologies, and the impact of human behavior in the maritime industry, focusing on how these elements are both significantly important on their own and deeply interconnected. With the maritime operations increasingly be- coming digital and more exposed to cyber threats, there’s a pressing need for a comprehensive and integrated cybersecurity strategy. The study begins by examining risk management approaches, underlining the ne- cessity for proactive vulnerability identification and reduction. Following this, it explores strategies for incident handling, emphasizing the criticality of being pre- pared and acting quickly to reduce the damage caused by cyber incidents. It also looks into the role of emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain, consider- ing them as both enhancers of cybersecurity and new points of vulnerability. The aspect of human behavior, including errors and leadership roles, is scrutinized to illustrate its profound impact on the outcomes of cybersecurity efforts.The conclusion of the study ties these elements together, showing how effective risk management supports better incident handling and how new technologies should be carefully incorporated to augment human supervision. Collectively, these com- ponents create a comprehensive framework crucial for maintaining cybersecurity resilience in the maritime sector.