PASTA Threat Modeling for Cyber Resilience and COLREG Compliance in Autonomous Ship Systems

As autonomous vessels have advanced Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) systems, they face cyberthreats that can compromise their security and make it difficult for them to comply with International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREG). This research addresses cybersecurity issues in the maritime sector, focusing on autonomous ship systems’ vulnerabilities and compliance with the COLREG. The Process of Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis (PASTA) framework for threat modeling is applied, specifically adapted to the decision-making mechanisms of navigation systems of autonomous ships, to categorize these threats and examine COLREG compliance in potentially complex situations for navigation. The findings of this study reveal vulnerabilities in communication protocols, decision-making algorithms, and sensor data integrity.