Naval Dome concludes cybersecurity project abroad deepwater drilling rigs

More advanced solutions are needed to better protect an offshore platform from cyberattack. Courtesy: Naval Dome
More advanced solutions are needed to better protect an offshore platform from cyberattack. Courtesy: Naval Dome

Cyber defense expert Naval Dome and the offshore division of a supermajor have completed a joint project to identify and mitigate cyber risks common to offshore deepwater drilling rigs.

Findings from the two-year project, culminating in the installation and pilot testing of Naval Dome’s Endpoint cyber defense system aboard drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, indicate that the minimum industry guidelines, regulations and security techniques are out of step with current platform technology, connectivity requirements and cyberattack methodology.

In a joint research paper presented at an Offshore Technology conference in Houston last week, the authors state: “Activities over two years have demonstrated shortfalls and real challenges that need to be addressed if we are to create a more cybersecure deepwater drilling rig environment.”

In presenting the Cyberdefense of Offshore Deepwater Drilling Rigs paper to conference delegates, Adam Rizika, head of strategy, Naval Dome, said: “Where systems installed on offshore platforms had traditionally been isolated and unconnected, limiting cyber hack success, the increase in remote monitoring and autonomous control, IoT and digitalization has made rigs much more susceptible to attack.”

Going on to reveal how the test rigs’ operational technology (OT) networks were penetrated using a software installation file for dynamic positioning (DP) and workstation charts, Rizika explained that Naval Dome simulated an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) service technician unwittingly using a universal serial bus (USB) stick with malicious software containing three zero-day exploits.

“The modified file was packaged in a way that looked and acted like the original one and passed antivirus scanning without being identified as a cyberattack or picked up by the installed cyber network traffic monitoring system,” he said.

Although the attack was carried out internally, Rizika noted remote execution was feasible using the rig’s externally facing network connections.

“Penetration testing confirmed how a targeted cyberattack on a deepwater drilling rig could result in a serious process safety incident, with associated financial and reputational impact,” he said.

In the paper, the authors state that pilot tests confirm traditional “perimeter type” information technology (IT) transplanted OT cybersecurity solutions, such as antivirus, network monitoring and firewalls, are not enough to protect critical safety and processing equipment from attack, leaving rigs vulnerable.

“It is abundantly clear that more advanced purpose-built solutions are needed to better protect an offshore platform from exposure to external and internal cyberattacks, whether targeted or otherwise,” reported Rizika.

The paper goes on to highlight a shortage of OT cyber domain skilled staff, regulation and controls that are slow to evolve and be implemented, an IT-centric approached being applied to an OT environment, and a mismatch between drilling rig systems and equipment and their supporting software.

Rizika said: “Although industry guidelines and regulations offer minimum standard requirements, we found the advancement in rig technology, connectivity and cyberattack methodology has outpaced the regulations, driving the need for a more comprehensive approach.”

Commenting on the project’s findings, Naval Dome Chief Executive Officer Itai Sela, said: “The project and successful pilot testing of a multilayer cyber defense solution aboard these rigs has demonstrated that both new and legacy OEM systems can be better protected from internal and external cyberattack vectors, without the need for expensive equipment upgrades, or higher overheads that lead to an increase in total cost of ownership.

“Results to date demonstrate that the endpoint system is robust and can operate without interfering with ongoing rig operations. The cost of upgrading the obsolete systems is high, and even if upgrades are undertaken, vulnerabilities can still remain.”

By approaching the problem differently, Naval Dome and the oil major believe that the attainment of a cyber resilient environment can be accelerated onboard offshore installations at a critical time for the industry.

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