Ship Hacking: a Primer for Today’s Pirate

DerbyCon 8.0 - Evolution

Presented by: Brian Olson, Brian Satira
Date: Saturday October 06, 2018
Time: 16:00 - 16:50
Location: Kentucky F & G
Track: Track 4

In 1995, when the fictitious Dade Murphy and his friends stopped oil tankers from being capsized by a virus in the movie “Hackers”, “digital piracy” was just a euphemism for copyright infringement and sharing music. Today digital piracy is anything but a euphemism or fiction. From breaches by pirates seeking cargo information, to denial of service (DOS) attacks on offshore oil platforms, there are very real threats to the maritime sector. This talk will provide an introduction to understanding ships as Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and lessons learned from vulnerability research on marine diesel engine controllers. We also hope to challenge our peers in the infosec community to apply their skills, red and blue, to protect our maritime critical infrastructure. A talk for anyone who likes computers and pirates. Arrgh!

Brian Satira

Brian Satira is an information security researcher with ten years of experience including forensic investigations and vulnerability analysis on various Industrial Control Systems(ICS). Brian is a member of the I Am The Cavalry project and NoVA Hackers. Brian is also a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and a U.S. Army veteran. Offline, Brian enjoys locksport and is both a registered locksmith in Virginia and a co-founding member of his local TOOOL chapter.

Brian Olson

Brian Olson is a Security Engineer for CORESCOUT, a tech company focused on big data and network security. A graduate of UMBC with experience in research, pen testing, and systems administration, Brian now works in the DC area focusing on security engineering and threat emulation designing systems with a defensive mindset. When not behind the keyboard Brian enjoys meteorology and sailing; utilizing his skills for navigation/weather routing and tactics for both regattas and deliveries.


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