Cyber Hygiene

Cyber hygiene is the set of routine practices that keep IT and operational-technology systems secure: timely patching, strong and rotated passwords, least-privilege access, network segmentation, controlled use of removable media, and regular backups. The BIMCO Guidelines on Cyber Security Onboard Ships and IMO MSC-FAL.1/Circ.3 treat these basics as the first line of defense for vessels, where USB chart updates and shared crew accounts are common weak points. Sound hygiene is what makes IMO Resolution MSC.428(98) operational rather than paper compliance; most reported shipping incidents trace to lapses in these fundamentals.