Abstract

An integral part of a modern maritime infrastructure involves coastal grids as well as offshore power plants, both of which are remotely managed using SCADA systems. With the development of systems containing more hybrids of cloud and IoT technology, the risk for cybersecurity breaches continue to increase. This research looks into SCADA security frameworks with a special focus on coastal and offshore maritime constraints, which include but aren’t limited to limited environments, isolation, real-time action requirements, and remote accessibility. Current frameworks are examined within the context of critical maritime asset protection focusing on existing gaps alongside contributory strong factors to asset damage capture. Through simulations and case studies, the effectiveness of various layered encryption approaches alongside anomaly detection and secure communication protocols are explored. This work aims to improve resilience against potential threats to SCADA-based coastal and offshore power systems while maintaining energy flow reliability alongside maritime safety. Recommendations are outlined to aid further augmentations of cyber crosshairs in maritime SCADA systems.