Linux OS (OT)

Linux is a widely used operating system in shipboard operational-technology equipment: embedded controllers, gateways, navigation and monitoring units, and data servers, valued for source availability and small footprints. The risk is patch governance: OT vendors freeze kernel and package versions at type-approval, so vessels run unsupported builds for years while shore IT patches monthly. IACS UR E22 covers software maintenance of computer-based systems, and UR E26/E27 require a controlled change process; uncontrolled patching of a safety-critical Linux controller can invalidate its class verification.