For the past few years, digitalization has been one of Odfjell's priorities. A lot of initiatives have been carried out to modernize our systems and make our tools up to speed with the ever evolving technology. This year alone, even in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, we shifted to two new cloud-based solutions for core processes in Ship Management – the fleet management system Infor, and the crew information management system Compas. Compas will be particularly of interest to you, as you will all soon be granted with individual access to this platform.
As Odfjell employees, we are hence expected to treat our IT solutions as essential tools for our business, especially now that our day-to-day operations rely mainly on technology. Our dependence on high availability systems creates the need for an extensive security policy as well as cyber security routines from both the IT department and each individual user.
In addition, we are mandated by the International Martitime Organization to ensure that cyber risks are appropriately addressed in existing safety management systems (as defined in the ISM Code) no later than the first annual verification of the company's Document of Compliance after January 1, 2021.
We have the required policies in place, but how do we translate these into action? Here are important pointers to keep in mind:
Keep yourselves updated about the latest cyber risks, and how to spot them. Cyber attacks have become more sophisticated, and unfortunately, cyber criminals are always a step ahead of us. This is why it is important that we educate ourselves and read the IT security updates published in Bow News, like this primer on protecting yourself from cyber attacks.
Think before you click. Every time you do something online – open an app, view a photo, send a message, visit a website – there is always a risk of being attacked by cyber criminals. Always remember that all a cyber criminal needs is an innocent click from your end for them to inject a virus into your device or steal your information. Review this article for tips on how to spot phishing emails.
Take care of your personal data privacy. Whatever your role is in the organization, the first step to protect the company from cyber attacks is to make sure that we protect your own. Revisit this story for tips on how to keep your personal information safe on social media.
Everyone in the company is responsible for cyber security. We may have different levels of responsibilities depending on our roles/positions and the corporate systems we have access to, but at the end of the day, all cyber risks can cause serious harm on the company and its resources, including its finances and reputation.
Stay safe, and stay security smart.
Harald Bauck
Senior Advisor Risk Management
The statement I always safeguard the vessel and the company against security threats is derived from the Odfjell 2020 calendar. These statements are excerpts from our description of HSSE Excellence, and are recommended as themes for the General Safety Meeting.
